CategoriesCooling PC COMPONENTS Reviews By Khalil Be.

CORSAIR iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT Review

[cmsmasters_row data_shortcode_id=”7gh5vjw5g” data_padding_bottom_mobile_v=”0″ data_padding_top_mobile_v=”0″ data_padding_bottom_mobile_h=”0″ data_padding_top_mobile_h=”0″ data_padding_bottom_tablet=”0″ data_padding_top_tablet=”0″ data_padding_bottom_laptop=”0″ data_padding_top_laptop=”0″ data_padding_bottom_large=”0″ data_padding_top_large=”0″ data_padding_bottom=”50″ data_padding_top=”0″ data_bg_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ data_bg_size=”cover” data_bg_attachment=”scroll” data_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” data_bg_position=”top center” data_color=”default” data_bot_style=”default” data_top_style=”default” data_padding_right=”3″ data_padding_left=”3″ data_width=”boxed”][cmsmasters_column data_width=”1/1″ data_shortcode_id=”wg0k3ra7mn” data_border_style=”default” data_animation_delay=”0″][cmsmasters_button shortcode_id=”rz8yo58065″ button_link=”https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Liquid-Cooling/iCUE-RGB-PRO-XT-Coolers/p/CW-9060044-WW” button_target=”blank” button_text_align=”center” button_font_weight=”default” button_font_style=”default” button_text_transform=”default” button_border_style=”default” animation_delay=”0″]Product on Review : CORSAIR iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT [/cmsmasters_button]

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[cmsmasters_button shortcode_id=”lhtid68m2c” button_link=”https://www.corsair.com” button_target=”blank” button_text_align=”center” button_font_weight=”default” button_font_style=”default” button_text_transform=”default” button_border_style=”default” animation_delay=”0″]Manufacturer: CORSAIR [/cmsmasters_button]

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Important note: CORSAIR provided the sample for this review although we are providing our honest and objective product review based on our testings.

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Introduction

CORSAIR is constantly pushing the envelope within the PC industry, seemingly competing with themselves more often than the competition, at least within the all-in-one water-cooling market, which leads us onto today’s review of the H115i RGB PRO XT.

The new H115i RGB PRO XT features a pair of CORSAIR ML140 PWM fans for high air pressure offered by the magnetic levitation and optimized blade shape. The iCUE software is also capable of stopping the fans completely in the “Zero RPM Mode”.

 

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With a total of 16 individually addressable RGB LEDs in the pump enclosure and standard ML140 fans, the product’s RGB lighting finds itself somewhere between the H115i PRO and H115i Platinum.

With support for all of Intel and AMD’s mainstream socket types, including TR4, the iCUE H115i is ready to go, but is it worth your money? Let’s find out.

CORSAIR on the iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT:

The CORSAIR iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT is an all-in-one liquid CPU cooler built for both low noise operation and extreme CPU cooling, with a 280mm radiator, two CORSAIR ML140 PWM fans, and 16 RGB LEDs.

[/cmsmasters_text][/cmsmasters_column][/cmsmasters_row][cmsmasters_row data_shortcode_id=”krxyoy8knh”][cmsmasters_column data_width=”1/1″][cmsmasters_heading shortcode_id=”smyicyev8d” type=”h2″ font_weight=”default” font_style=”default” text_align=”center” color=”#ffffff” bg_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”20″ animation_delay=”0″]Technical Specifications[/cmsmasters_heading][cmsmasters_table shortcode_id=”t12976553h” animation_delay=”0″][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Cooling Warranty[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”] Five years[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Coldplate material[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Copper[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Thermal paste[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Pre-applied[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Radiator Material[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Aluminum[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]PWM[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]YES[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]CORSAIR iCUE Compatibility[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]YES[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Radiator Dimensions[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]322mm x 137mm x 27mm[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Fan Dimensions[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]140mm x 25mm[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Fan Speed[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]2000 RPM[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr type=”header”][cmsmasters_td type=”header” align=”left”]Cooling Socket Support[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td type=”header” align=”left”]Intel 1150/1151/1155/1156/2011/2066 AMD AM3/AM2/AM4/TR4[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Lighting[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]RGB[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Radiator Size[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]280mm[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][/cmsmasters_table][cmsmasters_heading shortcode_id=”xjwdq0tw5o” type=”h2″ font_weight=”default” font_style=”default” text_align=”center” color=”#ffffff” bg_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”20″ animation_delay=”0″]Packaging & Bundle[/cmsmasters_heading][cmsmasters_text shortcode_id=”2ys2hw10r2″ animation_delay=”0″]

In usual CORSAIR fashion, the bright yellow box catches the eye with a large image of the loop on the front.

The rear, which is something CORSAIR do well, is covered with specifications and a schematic of the radiator so you can make sure it’ll fit in your chassis.

Bundled in with the loop is a pair of 140mm ML140 fans, mounting hardware for Intel and AMD sockets (the Intel mounts are pre-installed onto the pump enclosure), a micro-USB to internal header cable, nuts, bolts and screws for installation and some paperwork.

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New to the RGB PRO XT range of AIO coolers is the black pump enclosure. The CORSAIR logo is illuminated by four RGB LEDs with a further 12 flanking that around the perimeter.
The Micro-USB connection remains on the left edge, with the remaining connections appearing out of the top.

 

Measuring in at 55mm x 55mm, the copper coldplate arrives with a layer of pre-applied thermal paste and is suitable for use on Intel Core CPUs as well as Ryzen and Threadripper.

The cables that protrude out of the top of the pump housing are a pair of 4-pin PWM fan connections, a SATA power connector and a 3-pin fan connection to allow your motherboard to monitor pump speeds.

The 4-pin PWM ML140 fans sport an operating range between 400RPM and 2000RPM, but can also be stopped entirely if the loop temperatures remain under 40°C, relying entirely on passive heat dissipation.

Utilising an all-aluminium construction, the radiator is tightly packed with cooling fins for optimal heat transfer. The radiator’s dimensions are 322mm x 137mm x 27mm (52mm with the fans installed).

The two included ML140 fans are spaced slightly, leaving around 4-5mm between them allowing for better cable management. Each corner is also slightly counter-sunk so the screws sit flush with the fan housing; sometimes these millimeters can make a difference when fitting against a tall VRM heatsink or into a tight chassis so we appreciate CORSAIR’s efforts here.

 

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CORSAIR have the installation game nailed, they were definitely the easiest coolers to install thanks to a simple process and high-quality components that you could trust, however, we’re feeling a little let down overall by this latest iteration.

The first step is to insert the backplate into the rear of the motherboard then screw the four standoff screws into that. This is a simple process with well-engineered threads.

Next up, it’s usually best to mount the radiator before the pump, but attaching the fans to the radiator was a task in itself. Something we’ve experienced in the past was a soft aluminium used in the radiator’s construction which eventually wore away leaving no thread to screw into, essentially rendering the cooler useless. We’ve mentioned this to CORSAIR and they seem to have done something about it, using a stronger metal, but they’re gone too far. My arms were aching after doing up the 8 screws, despite being reasonably strong and fit. This would be a genuine struggle for some people.

Mounting the radiator into the case poses a similar problem, though there’s less depth to screw through.

It’s then time to set the pump into place, a simple task that can be done largely by hand. We preferred the old thumbscrews with their wider girth and deeper cross-pattern on top for tightening with a screwdriver but they get the job done.

Then tuck all of your cables behind the motherboard tray, plug in your micro-USB and power up. You might hear some initial gurgling from the system but that’s perfectly normal while air works its way out of the pump.

When all is said and done, the process is still simple but CORSAIR have taken a step backwards here, we feel.

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Due to popular demand, we have retired the long-standing cooling rig that we once used and replaced it with a shiny new system with an Intel Core i7 9700K at its heart. This should benefit you, the reader, in a couple of ways. The first being it can provide you with results on a CPU that is currently available to buy and secondly, the mounting instructions on our installation page will be far more relevant than the outgoing LGA 2066 was, with its pre-installed backplate.

We perform two individual testing routines with each CPU cooler that we receive – temperatures and acoustics. The system used is as follows and all tests are performed at stock frequencies.

Processor – Intel Core i7 9700K
Motherboard – GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS MASTER
Memory – Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO 16GB – 2666MHz – C16
Video Card – XFX AMD Radeon RX560
Power Supply – Corsair RM650x
Storage Drive – Western Digital Black SN750 1TB NVMe SSD
Case – Corsair Crystal Series 280X RGB
Monitor ASUS ROG SWIFT PG278Q

To keep our tests consistent, we always review CPU coolers as they come out of the box – with their factory cooling fans, as the manufacturer intended and as the consumer expects. It should, however, be noted that we do not use supplied thermal paste but instead, Noctua NT-H1 paste to, again, ensure consistency. The paste is applied and the CPU allowed to run for a couple of hours, at idle, to ensure any and all updates or processes are completed to give a true idle reading.

In the first test we record the idle and load temperatures across a 60 second period, with the results logged to file. This way we can provide you with an accurate average temperature over a longer period, instead of, for example, a maximum or minimum temperature. We believe this is the fairest possible method and most representative of what is going on as temperatures will fluctuate even with a consistent load on the CPU. We have three case fans on the front of the PC running with the door closed for this test.

We aim to measure acoustics with our second test, this time with the three case fans on the front disabled and all other ambient noise reduced to an absolute minimum. Our testing room measures around 25dB(A) without the system running. We measure the system acoustics for 60 seconds with the microphone in a set and unchanging position with the chassis door removed completely. An average is then taken across the 60 seconds.

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For thermal results we have all case fans running and only a single 120mm fan on our Corsair H100i Pro RGB radiator. We then measure the thermal results at idle, both at 1000 RPM and maximum RPM:

And then again after a 20 minute Stability Test within AIDA64:

 

Acoustic Results

For our acoustic results, all other fans in the case are disabled and the Corsair’s H100i Pro RGB’s pump is turned down to quiet (roughly 1100 RPM) and measure the fan noise at 1000 RPM, both as a case fan and as a radiator fan:

And then again at maximum RPM:

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Aligning with the review of the H100i RGB PRO XT, the 240mm version, we again find ourselves wondering quite what CORSAIR are doing. This release is such a small ‘upgrade’ over the adjacent models that it feels like a launch for launch sake.What we do like, however, is the black enclosure on the pump. This is something we’re surprised didn’t come around sooner in CORSAIR’s AIO launches, the difference in appearance is huge, especially considering that the vast majority of motherboards, particularly those at the higher end of the market, have been black for some time now. The RGB lighting contrasts better against the black enclosure, but the lack of lighting on the fans is something we miss. If you’re going RGB, you go big, surely?

As we’ve all come to expect from CORSAIR, the performance is top-notch. You certainly won’t find yourself wishing for much more, but if you already own one of their water-cooling loops, don’t go rushing to the shops either.

Installation, something we’ve always praised CORSAIR’s AIOs for, has taken a step backward in terms of simplicity in the latest iteration. The aluminum that has been used on the radiator is much tougher than it was, which should make removing and replacing fans far more reliable, but the initial installation is tough. Perhaps CORSAIR could install the fans in the factory to remedy this issue.

For £8/$10 more, the Platinum seems like a better idea but if you really need that black pump enclosure, here’s your chance.

The RGB PRO XT range slots into a very small gap that, really, didn’t need to be filled, but it does look nice with the new black appearance.

**Pros
+ Strong performance
+ Quiet under load
+ Black pump enclosure is a marked improvement over silver
+ TR4 socket support
**Neutral
+- Price
**Cons
– Installation simplicity has taken a step backward
– No RGB fans

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CategoriesPC COMPONENTS Reviews Storage By Khalil Be.

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive

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Important note: WESTERN DIGITAL provided the sample for this review although we are providing our honest and objective product review based on our testings.

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Introduction

Not that long ago we took a look at Western Digital’s SN750 solid state drive, but it was the initial drive, not the one with the integrated heatsink. When Western Digital first announced the SN750 they showed it with this very sexy heatsink designed by EK Water Blocks. While you don’t need the heatsink, the drive works perfectly fine without it and does not overheat, the heatsink just looks so awesome it will definitely add that little bit of extra flare to your build. As a reminder this drive offers sequential read and write speeds of 3470 MB/s and 3000 MB/s respectively so let’s jump in!

 

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The WD SN750 comes in a very nice retail package. Compared to the non-heatsink version the picture of the drive on the front does show it with the heatsink installed. Also on the front it tells us the capacity and speeds.

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive

Flipping over to the back there is another photo of the drive with the heatsink installed and a little more information. We can also see that the drive has a 5-year warranty.

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive

Opening the box up and getting everything out we have the WD 750 drive with the heatsink pre-installed and a user’s guide. I really like that the heatsink is pre-installed. Many times we’ve seen drives with heatsinks, but you need to install the heatsink yourself.

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive

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Taking a first look at the WD SN750 drive with the heatsink installed it really catches your eye. The heatsink sits on top of the drive and have a set a ridges on top. Towards the bottom right it says WD_Black SN750 and there is a small EK logo.

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive

With the heatsink installed the drive is a little larger than your typical SSD, but in terms of height as well as width. It is 8.10 mm tall and 24.2 mm wide, this is compared to the 2.38 mm tall and 22 mm wide of the normal drive without the heatsink.

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive

Flipping the drive over all of the information is printed on the back. It gives you the model number, serial number, and more.

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive

On the side of the drive are four small screws that when removed will allow you to take the heatsink off.

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive

For those wondering what is under the hood of this drive it is designed completely in-house by WD. So you have a Western Digital controller, DRAM cache chip, and two WD 3D NAND chips.

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To get things started you’ll need to install the WD Black SN750 in an open M.2 slot on your motherboard. Since this drive with the heatsink installed is a little larger you are going to want to make it will actually fit. We tried on a few different boards but ran into issues where the heatsink was just a little too wide.

 

 

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive
We finally ended up getting the drive installed in the middle M.2 slot on our board.

 

 

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive
For those wondering if the height of the heatsink would be an issue it is not, you can see that the drive is nice and snug under our graphics card.

 

 

WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive WD Black SN750 1TB Solid State Drive
For testing the drive we will be using the following benchmarking programs, we have provided links to each so you can run the benchmarks on your drive for comparison.

 

Sisoftware Sandra Physical Disks Benchmark (download)
ATTO Disk Benchmark (download)
CrystalDiskMark 64bit (download)
AS SSD Benchmark (download)
Anvil Storage Utility Professional (download)
PCMark 8 – Storage Benchmark (download)
AIDA64 Storage Benchmark (download)

We also made these optimization changes…

– No power saving options in the BIOS
– ACHI enabled in the BIOS
– Windows 10 User Account Control (UAC) is disabled
– Windows 10 power saving settings are disabled

So let’s get into testing!

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Keep in mind for testing the advertised speeds for this drive are 3470 MB/s read and 3000 MB/s write.

Our first test is SiSoftware Sandra’s Physical Disks benchmark. We run both the read performance and write performance tests. Click on the images below to see the full-size results.

 

 
The read test yielded 3.19 GB/s whereas the write score was 2.77 GB/s.

 

ATTO Disk Benchmark measures transfer rates across specific lengths. ATTO uses RAW data, our transfer sizes ranged from 0.5 to 8192kb. ATTO is usually our definitive benchmark for solid state drives.

CrystalDiskMark is our next test and it has a sequential read / write test as well as a 512k and 4k random read / write test.

AS SSD Benchmark is next. This benchmark contains four synthetic as well as three practice tests. The main benchmark will give you scores in MB/s as well as IOPS.

 

 

 

 
The AS SSD Copy Benchmark gives you the speed and time it would take to load an ISO, Program and Game.

 

 

 

Finally we have the AS SSD Compression benchmark.

The next test is Anvil Storage Utilities, which is a really great piece of software. The SSD benchmark gives you scores for both read and write as well as a combined score.

Next up is PCMark 8, we will be running the typical Storage Benchmark.

We have added back AIDA64’s Disk Benchmark to our testing. The linear test will actually scan from the first physical sector to the last on the test drive. This gives a good representation of sustained read / write operations. First We will be running the linear read test using a 1MB block size.

Then finally the linear write test using a 1MB block size.

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We will be comparing the WD Black SN750 to a handful of other NVMe drives we’ve reviewed lately. Let’s see how it does…

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As we mentioned in our original review of the WD SN750 not that much has changed from last years WD Black NVMe drive. We have the same controller and NAND, the only real improvements that were via the firmware and with this version you have that sexy heatsink. When it comes to performance this drive is at the top of our charts in most of the tests and performed right up to it advertised speeds.

This is of course the version that comes with the EK-made heatsink. Since we reviewed the version of the drive without the heatsink we can tell you that the drive does not need a heatsink in most cases. It does not over-heat or throttle. But depending on where your M.2 drive is mounted you may want the extra cooling that the heatsink provides. Besides offering better cooling the heatsink is just plain sexy. Out of all of the M.2 drives we’ve reviewed with heatsinks this drive definitely has to be the best looking. WD did a good think by working with EK. This drive is going to add the little bit of extra flare to your build.

The only real issue with the heatsink is that it makes the M.2 drive larger than normal. So you are going to want to make sure the drive will actually fit on your motherboard. We ran into issues on a few boards where there was another heatsink really close to the M.2 slot.

Right now the 1TB version of the WD SN750 (no heatsink) is 218.56 at our favorite online retailer. The version with the heatsink is $279.99, so that is just over a $60 difference, which is a lot just for a heatsink, and one that you really don’t need in most cases. EK also sells a very similar M.2 heatsink for $17.49.

At the end of the day this is one of the best performing M.2 NVMe drives we’ve tested this year. If you do opt for the heatsink version be prepared to pay a hefty premium for it.

**Pros:
– One of the fastest M.2 drives we’ve reviewed this year
– WD SSD toolbox software
– Heatsink looks amazing
– 5-year warranty

**Cons:
– You pay a hefty premium for the heatsink
– Heatsink is not needed

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CategoriesONLINE STORES Reviews By Khalil Be.

Aliexpress.com Full Review from K

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Aliexpress.com is a Chinese giant that we often compare to Amazon by its size but the similarity stops there because Aliexpress.com has a completely different economic model than that of Amazon. The difference for the end consumer (you and me) is very important and you have to understand this difference before buying from Aliexpress.com

On Aliexpress you can find anything and everything, the best and the worst.

But is it safe to shop there? How long will items take to arrive, and what happens if they don’t? Is AliExpress.com legit? And are you more likely to be the victim of fraud if you shop there? Here are the answers you need.

Important note: Aliexpress.com did not pay me to write this article and I do not work for Aliexpress.

www.aliexpress.com

 

Aliexpress.com full review

I made my first purchase on Aliexpress.com in 2011 and have ordered more than 500 products. I am generally very satisfied but it is necessary however to think a little before making the buying decision.

Who is Aliexpress.com?

AliExpress.com is the international arm of the Chinese retailing giant Alibaba. It is, in fact, the group’s commercial showcase which acts as a gateway to the Chinese market for consumers around the world. Aliexpress has become the biggest Chinese e-commerce site. You can find almost everything except for international branded objects. For example, you won’t find an iPad Pro 2020 on Aliexpress.com, but you will find a range of quality Chinese smartphones and tablets.

Unlike Amazon, when you buy a product you are in direct contact with the seller of that product. Aliexpress.com only takes care of the connection and the payment between you and the seller. It is the seller who defines the warranty conditions, sending the package, tracking, customer service, etc. In the event of problems, you must, therefore, contact the seller rather than Aliexpress.com and if you cannot resolve a problem with the seller, you can involve Aliexpress. Most of the sellers are Chinese, so you have to use English to speak to them.

 Aliexpress.com Buyer Protection Policy

Aliexpress.com offers three types of guarantees:

Conformity guarantee: if the object purchased does not conform to its description, you are entitled to claim a full refund. Before getting there, you can initiate a refund request with the seller to see what they are offering without the intervention of Aliexpress.com.

Delivery time guarantee: if delivery takes longer than what was announced from the start, you are also entitled to claim a refund (total or partial). Please note, delivery time limits are generally 60 days, the vast majority of items, therefore, arrive before the expiration of these 60 days.

Product warranty: the warranty is offered by the seller, so it can vary greatly from one seller to another. It is sometimes possible to buy an extension of guarantee or a local guarantee (European or American) but again it depends on a seller to another.

The guarantee is one of the major differences with Amazon because with Amazon, the products are guaranteed in a uniform way and it is Amazon who takes care of the customer service. You must, therefore, read the conditions carefully before buying anything!

Aliexpress.com: The user experience

1-Language support

Aliexpress.com supports a multitude of languages ​​but these translations mainly apply to the Aliexpress.com interface. The description of the products is mainly available in English with sometimes a very approximate machine translation in other languages. If you are not fluent in English, you can order without problems but if you want more information about a product or contact a seller, English is very important. You can always use a  translator to communicate with sellers, they probably do the same to communicate with you.

2-The Interface
Those who are used to Amazon will find themselves there very quickly. Aliexpress.com works the same way. The interface is not the most modern but it is often the case for this kind of platforms. You can find a product by browsing the categories or by the search engine. You can then classify the results by opinion, sale, price,… I find that the search engine is less efficient than Amazon’s solution, it is therefore sometimes necessary to fall back on the categories to find a product

Aliexpress.com full review

3-Real Reviews
Aliexpress uses a rating system like Amazon and this system will allow you to distinguish good products from the bad ones. However, I would add an important remark. If after buying a product on Aliexpress you have not given notice, the seller will receive a default evaluation and this will slightly distort the final result. So don’t be satisfied with the stars but also read the comments, they will teach you more than the stars. If the proportion of 1 or 2-star ratings exceeds 5%, you should avoid the product if there is an alternative.

4-Payment Methods – NO PAYPAL
Aliexpress offers a variety of payment methods, you can even pay with a local debit card (in Morocco anyway).

Customs fees

From the moment you buy something outside of your country, you are exposed to customs duties if the price of your item exceeds a certain price depending on your country. What you buy on Aliexpress.com is no exception, sometimes you will be lucky, sometimes not. Customs duties usually correspond to VAT to which are added processing costs.
Some sellers will offer you solutions to reduce the chances of going through customs by changing the declared value or by avoiding certain carriers, but the risk will always exist.

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Aliexpress.com, Is it Legit and Safe to Buy From in 2020?

When you buy on Aliexpress.com, you have two stakeholders. The first is the seller from whom you buy. You should contact them first in the event of a problem/dispute. In my case, I was able to solve all my problems through this. The second speaker is Aliexpress.com. If you do not get anything from a discussion with the seller, you can call on Aliexpress.com which will take charge of the file.

Here are some points to help you:

1. Complaint period: For each order, you have a complaint period that ends when you report having received the order. If you have not received your order and the complaint period has expired, you can either request an extension from the seller (if you think it is a simple delay) or open a dispute with Aliexpress.com. If you let this time pass without reacting, it will be more difficult to get support from Aliexpress. For the creation of a dispute, I always advise contacting the seller first.

2. Chat litigation
In your order list, Aliexpress.com provides a chatbot that allows you to solve a number of problems almost automatically. The robot offers a number of possibilities for automated complaint management.

Aliexpress.com chatbot Eva

3. Communication with the seller
Before creating a dispute, speak to the seller first. If you have the impression that he is trying to save time, open the case to put pressure on him.

What to buy or not to buy on Aliexpress.com?

We can buy everything on Aliexpress.com, but we must not forget that what you buy is covered by small sellers who sometimes can disappear after a few months of activity. So don’t buy high-value items from a new seller, the risk is too high. I mainly bought objects of max 200-250 € with a good guarantee.

Clothing
I bought clothes on Aliexpress.com, the price defies all competition, for example, I bought beautiful shirts for 5 EUR delivery included. The shirts were of good quality, I don’t see any difference with the ones I bought in Morocco. The only point of attention is the size. Chinese sizes are not the same as in Europe or Africa, so you need to find the equivalent size before buying. I found shirts suited to my format (XL in Europe, XXXL in China) and the shirt is the right size, only the sleeves are a little too short.

Electronics
Aliexpress.com is a huge supplier tank of small electronic items made in China. I bought a dozen types of TWS Earphones, memory cards, hard disks, mini PCs, etc. The price defies all competition. For example, I bought a magnificent V5.0 Bluetooth earphone for almost 25 USD while the price on the local market ( Morocco ) for the same product was more than 40 USD.

Aliexpress.com full review

Lamps
I bought many LED bulbs and even decorative lamps. You can find LED bulbs for one euro, hard to find better here.

Recommendation?
If you use Aliexpress.com for products where the brand is not important, you will find your happiness. It is not a question here of buying a high-end lens for your camera but rather of electronics or everyday use, you will have many choices and very good prices.

Delivery delay

As I indicated above, it is not Aliexpress.com which organizes the delivery, it is the seller. This means that delivery times can vary greatly from one seller to another. I have sometimes had deliveries in a few days as deliveries that took up to 2 months to take the most extreme cases.

Scams?

Aliexexpress is not a scam, it is a very good marketplace. On the other hand as the site shelters many sellers, you will always find some which are not recommendable. Here it is common sense that prevails, look at the ratings, check how long the seller has been active, ask questions, Aliexpress.com customer support is not at the same level as Amazon’s, so you have to choose the products you buy well and test the field on the side of the sellers if you have doubts.

A problem?

In the event of a problem, you must first contact the seller because without doing this, Aliexpress.com will not intervene. If you do not get satisfaction, do not hesitate to put a bad evaluation and then contact Aliexpress.com. On the few problems that I had, the bad evaluation always made react to the seller.

SIDE NOTES :

On Aliexpress.com you can find anything and everything but you can reduce your risk of problems by following a few basic rules:

  • Do not buy a non-Chinese brand product (ex: Apple), it is probably a counterfeit
  • When the price is very much lower than other Chinese sites, beware
  • Look at the volume of reviews for the object and the seller (these are 2 different things), favor the sellers who are on Aliexpress.com for more than a year and which have an average above 90%
  • Read the reviews which contain text and images
  • If in doubt, contact the seller before buying

Aliexpress.com, Is it Legit and Safe to Buy From in 2020?

And you, what is your experience? Share it below to share it with everyone!

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CategoriesCooling PC COMPONENTS Reviews By Khalil Be.

Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma Review

[cmsmasters_row data_shortcode_id=”n4nnx4o4a” data_padding_bottom_mobile_v=”0″ data_padding_top_mobile_v=”0″ data_padding_bottom_mobile_h=”0″ data_padding_top_mobile_h=”0″ data_padding_bottom_tablet=”0″ data_padding_top_tablet=”0″ data_padding_bottom_laptop=”0″ data_padding_top_laptop=”0″ data_padding_bottom_large=”0″ data_padding_top_large=”0″ data_padding_bottom=”50″ data_padding_top=”0″ data_bg_parallax_ratio=”0.5″ data_bg_size=”cover” data_bg_attachment=”scroll” data_bg_repeat=”no-repeat” data_bg_position=”top center” data_color=”default” data_bot_style=”default” data_top_style=”default” data_padding_right=”3″ data_padding_left=”3″ data_width=”boxed”][cmsmasters_column data_width=”1/1″ data_shortcode_id=”wg0k3ra7mn” data_border_style=”default” data_animation_delay=”0″][cmsmasters_button shortcode_id=”eqp95seep” button_link=”https://www.fractal-design.com/products/water-cooling/celsius-plus-s28-prisma/celsius-s28-prisma/” button_target=”blank” button_text_align=”center” button_font_weight=”default” button_font_style=”default” button_text_transform=”default” button_border_style=”default” animation_delay=”0″]Product on Review : Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma  [/cmsmasters_button]

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Important note: FRACTAL DESIGN provided the sample for this review although we are providing our honest and objective product review based on our testings.

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Introduction

Based in Gothenburg, Fractal Design are a leading designer within the PC hardware market, primarily focussing on cases, power supplies and cooling equipment.

The all-in-one watercooling market is swamped with options from many high-end brands, including Fractal, so it can be hard to find the one that suits your needs best. Fractal Design reckon their Celsius+ range of AIOs take watercooling to a new level, so we’ll put our sample under the microscope and see what’s what.

 

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Featuring ARGB on both the pump face and on the Prisma AL-series fans, with RGB lighting orchestrated by an on-radiator controller, lighting is well-catered for. The AL-series fans also piggyback off the on-radiator controller, all of which claims to help provide a clutter-free installation with minimal visible wires. RGB control is supported by Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion, ASUS Aura Sync, MSI Mystic Light Sync, ASRock Polychrome Sync and Razer’s Chroma RGB API.

The Celsius+ Prisma range is available with a 240mm, 280mm or a 360mm radiator, all of which are backed by a whopping 5-year warranty. Today we’re examining the 280mm (2x 140mm) version that promises a lot but does it deliver?

Fractal Design on the Celsius+ S28 Prisma:

Celsius+ takes AIO water cooling to a new level with an ARGB-accented pump face, a fully redesigned block and an upgraded on-radiator PWM fan hub with ARGB support.

[/cmsmasters_text][/cmsmasters_column][/cmsmasters_row][cmsmasters_row][cmsmasters_column data_width=”1/1″][cmsmasters_heading shortcode_id=”xnw1uexmgb” type=”h2″ font_weight=”default” font_style=”default” text_align=”center” color=”#ffffff” bg_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”20″ animation_delay=”0″]Technical Specifications[/cmsmasters_heading][cmsmasters_table shortcode_id=”llxj6ae64v” caption=”General specifications” animation_delay=”0″][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Sockets supported (Intel)[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2011-3, 2066[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Sockets supported (AMD)[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, AM4, FM1, FM2, FM2+, TR4 (via included bracket in AMD Threadripper box)[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Coldplate material: [/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Copper[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Thermal paste[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Pre-applied[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Tube length[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]400 mm[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Tube material[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Low-permeability rubber with braided nylon sleeve[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Fittings, block side[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Articulating 90-degree elbow[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Fittings, radiator side[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Straight rotary[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Fan control[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Dual mode (Auto/PWM)[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][/cmsmasters_table][cmsmasters_table shortcode_id=”p9xewkfs6f” caption=”Fan specifications” animation_delay=”0″][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Fan type[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Prisma AL-14 PWM ARGB[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Rotational speed[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]500 – 1700 RPM[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Bearing[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]LLS[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]PWM control[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]YES[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Acoustical noise (full speed)[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]34.1 dBA [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Maximum air flow [/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]103.9 CFM [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Maximum static pressure[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]2.38 mm H2O [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Input voltage [/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]12V DC [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Maximum input current[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]0.18A [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]MTBF[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]100,000 hours[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][/cmsmasters_table][cmsmasters_table shortcode_id=”r5jwu03oza” caption=”Pump specifications” animation_delay=”0″][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Rotational speed[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]800-2800 RPM in normal use, 3500 RPM during thermal protection mode that activates if liquid temperature is over 60°C [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Bearing type[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Ceramic bearing and shaft[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]PWM control [/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]YES[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Acoustical noise (full speed)[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]20 dBA[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Maximum pressure, 50°C[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”] 1.46 mm H2O[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Maximum air flow [/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]103.9 CFM [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Maximum static pressure[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]2.38 mm H2O [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Input voltage [/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]12V DC [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Input current (without fans): 0.36A[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]0.36A [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]MTTF[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]50,000 hours[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Block height[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]45 mm[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Block measurements (with fittings)[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]86 x 75 mm[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Block diameter (main block body)[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]62 mm[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][/cmsmasters_table][cmsmasters_table shortcode_id=”yyialw34n” caption=”Radiator specifications” animation_delay=”0″][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Dimensions [/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]143 x 30 x 324 mm[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Housing material[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Aluminum [/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Fin material [/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Aluminum[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_tr][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]Fan screw threads[/cmsmasters_td][cmsmasters_td align=”left”]6-32[/cmsmasters_td][/cmsmasters_tr][/cmsmasters_table][cmsmasters_heading shortcode_id=”6qoyrgy7mo” type=”h2″ font_weight=”default” font_style=”default” text_align=”center” color=”#ffffff” bg_color=”#000000″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”20″ animation_delay=”0″]Packaging & Bundle[/cmsmasters_heading][cmsmasters_text shortcode_id=”swwpyb3w1f” animation_delay=”0″]

In a suitably sized box lives the Celsius+ S28 Prisma, though a photo and the title is about all you’ll get on the front.

The other 3 main faces of the box give more details and dimensions to give a solid idea as to what you’re dealing with.

Chucked in with the AIO loop is a large user guide, all the mounting hardware that you need for AMD and Intel and a couple of 140mm Prisma AL-14 cooling fans.

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In a matte-plastic housing with a soft rubber coating, the pump enclosure is particularly small for a device of this type. RGB lighting is emitted from the outer edge of the face, which we’ll demonstrate later.
The outside can be clicked between PWM or AUTO which adjusts the fan and pump speeds.

The underside of the pump, as is the case with all ASETEK-design AIOs, features a smooth copper coldplate with pre-applied thermal paste.

At 30mm thick, the radiator is a little thicker than your typical 25mm rads, with the increase in thickness theoretically providing additional cooling capacity.

Something that we’ve not seen before is the radiator-mounted fan/RGB controller. This runs the cabling through the sleeved pump tubes to the pump enclosure to help tidy up the system.

Providing the airflow is a pair of Fractal Design Prisma AL-14 ARGB fans, boasting a maximum static pressure of 2.38mm H2O with an operating range of between 500 and 1700 RPM.

Bolting the fans onto the radiator is super easy, with pre-tapped holes that accommodate the screws very well.

Fractal have fitted each side of their AL-14 fans with rubber sections to provide vibration damping.

 

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Pushing the backplate through from the reverse side of the motherboard is the first step, then screwing in four standoffs to secure it into place.
We then clean off the factory-applied thermal paste and apply Noctua’s NT-H1 paste to equalize the playing field within our testing.

Next up is installing the radiator into the top of the case. At this point we’ve already installed the fans so the cables point towards the rear, for neatness. Due to the 30mm thick radiator, installation was incredibly tight but it just about fit into our CORSAIR 680X chassis. The additional thickness on the radiator should aid cooling capacity so it’s a trade off that we’re happy with, up to a point.

Time to install the pump enclosure. Thanks to the radiator-mounted fan and RGB controller, the cabling is very simple; there’s a single PWM and RGB connection to connect to your motherboard. You then adjust the housing to either PWM (where your motherboard will control the fan/pump speed) or AUTO (where the AIO controls everything).

Considering the 30mm radiator, we had a slightly more difficult time to get this installed than we usually do, but it’s in and just about fits. Hopefully the thicker radiator translates to better thermal performance.

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Due to popular demand, we have retired the long-standing cooling rig that we once used and replaced it with a shiny new system with an Intel Core i7 9700K at its heart. This should benefit you, the reader, in a couple of ways. The first being it can provide you with results on a CPU that is currently available to buy and secondly, the mounting instructions on our installation page will be far more relevant than the outgoing LGA 2066 was, with its pre-installed backplate.

We perform two individual testing routines with each CPU cooler that we receive – temperatures and acoustics. The system used is as follows and all tests are performed at stock frequencies.

Processor – Intel Core i7 9700K
Motherboard – GIGABYTE Z390 AORUS MASTER
Memory – Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO 16GB – 2666MHz – C16
Video Card – XFX AMD Radeon RX560
Power Supply – Corsair RM650x
Storage Drive – Western Digital Black SN750 1TB NVMe SSD
Case – Corsair Crystal Series 280X RGB
Monitor ASUS ROG SWIFT PG278Q

To keep our tests consistent, we always review CPU coolers as they come out of the box – with their factory cooling fans, as the manufacturer intended and as the consumer expects. It should, however, be noted that we do not use supplied thermal paste but instead, Noctua NT-H1 paste to, again, ensure consistency. The paste is applied and the CPU allowed to run for a couple of hours, at idle, to ensure any and all updates or processes are completed to give a true idle reading.

In the first test we record the idle and load temperatures across a 60 second period, with the results logged to file. This way we can provide you with an accurate average temperature over a longer period, instead of, for example, a maximum or minimum temperature. We believe this is the fairest possible method and most representative of what is going on as temperatures will fluctuate even with a consistent load on the CPU. We have three case fans on the front of the PC running with the door closed for this test.

We aim to measure acoustics with our second test, this time with the three case fans on the front disabled and all other ambient noise reduced to an absolute minimum. Our testing room measures around 25dB(A) without the system running. We measure the system acoustics for 60 seconds with the microphone in a set and unchanging position with the chassis door removed completely. An average is then taken across the 60 seconds.

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Thermal Results

For thermal results we have all case fans running and only a single 120mm fan on our Corsair H100i Pro RGB radiator. We then measure the thermal results at idle, both at 1000 RPM and maximum RPM:

And then again after a 20 minute Stability Test within AIDA64:

Acoustic Results

For our acoustic results, all other fans in the case are disabled and the Corsair’s H100i Pro RGB’s pump is turned down to quiet (roughly 1100 RPM) and measure the fan noise at 1000 RPM, both as a case fan and as a radiator fan:

And then again at maximum RPM:

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It’s been over 2 years since we reviewed an AIO loop from Fractal Design so we had no idea which way this would go. The relatively high price tag definitely influenced what we expected from it though.

Focussing on cosmetics, the loop is super stylish with some really lovely materials used. We particularly liked the feel and appearance of the pump housing with the matte-plastic/rubber and thin light ring with vibrant and vivid colors. Shame that we can’t say the same about the RGB fans which lacked any kind of punch or life, they really let the side down and were miles away from what we expected to see from the product images on Fractal’s website.

Installation was easy with special thanks to Fractal’s cable management efforts, this really helped to tidy up the internals and also made installation faster than competing AIOs.

Performance across the board was very strong, the acoustics were kept incredibly low while thermal levels were impeccable. We couldn’t really ask anything more of the loop if performance is your main consideration; we suspected that the twin 140mm fans and the thicker-than-usual radiator would help with performance and it certainly did. We also loved the ability to flick the pump housing between AUTO or PWM to give you the chance to crank fan/pump curves up if you needed even more cooling.

All things considered, the Fractal Design Celsius+ S28 Prisma is a really good looking, well-performing, quiet cooling kit, but those who are seeking a strong RGB output should look elsewhere.

** Pros:
+ Looks great when unlit
+ Premium materials used
+ Easy installation
+ Very good cable management
+ 5-year warranty
**Cons:
– Pricey
– Poor RGB on the fans

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CategoriesReviews By John Clark

Hulu VOD + Live TV review

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Before streaming became a way of life, Hulu led the charge in encouraging viewers to cut their ties with cable television. It aggregated content from a variety of network sites, allowing you to (sometimes) find that episode of CSI that aired earlier in the week and watch it free of charge. It was a lousy substitute for a cable subscription, but it was an idea so far ahead of its time it just needed everyone else to catch up.

As the competition between video streaming services intensifies, Hulu continues to offer a strong library of shows and movies, as well as a robust live TV option. That said, Hulu’s original series is hit-or-miss and while offline downloads were recently added, they’re currently only available for premium subscribers. Also, the price of Hulu’s live TV service has increased. Hulu (barely) keeps its Editors’ Choice distinction in part for its unique combination of on-demand and live content.

Live TV and Sports

Hulu with Live TV’s channel lineup should please most general audiences, with a deep lineup of content across the news, entertainment, and sports categories. News channels include ABC News, CBS News, CNBC, CNN, CNN International, Fox Business, and MSNBC. Entertainment coverage is similarly varied with options such as Animal Planet, Cartoon Network, Discovery, Disney, Food Network, FX, HGTV, National Geographic, SYFY, TBS, Travel Channel, TLC, and TNT. You also get the movie channels, FXM and TCM.

Hulu review: Quality of Stream

We watched Hulu on an Apple TV, iPhone, and a desktop computer: playback on all was typically smooth, with no buffering or lag. However, Hulu did glitch on a regular enough basis to be noticeable. Playback would occasionally simply stop for no apparent reason, backing out to the menu, and when we hit play, we’d get a message saying the content wasn’t playable at the time. Backing entirely out of Hulu and starting fresh fixed it, but it’s an ongoing annoyance.

Should I subscribe to Hulu?

If you enjoy television and don’t have cable or satellite TV already, yes, you should have Hulu. But what if you have yet to cut the cord? Then it’s more about ease of use than access. Hulu makes it incredibly easy to find something you want to watch. No need to hunt for the channel in your cable guide or the VOD menu on your satellite, just go to Hulu and you’ll find it in seconds. The ability to watch recently-aired programs in addition to past seasons is a clear upgrade over normal TV, too.

Good news, TV lovers! As promised back in January, US streaming service Hulu just dropped the price of its basic plan. Previously $7.99 per month, it’s now $5.99.

At $5.99 per month, Hulu currently offers the lowest price for its VOD film and TV library. For $54.99, you also gain access to over 60 live television cable channels, that include NBC, Comedy Network, and TCM.

What channels does Hulu with Live TV have?

Unlike cable and other internet TV services, Hulu with Live TV does not have multiple channel bundles – you get all of the channels they offer, except for premium networks. HBO, Cinemax, and Showtime are available at their standard monthly fees.

You can view the full list of channels available below:

Is Hulu + Live TV good for live sports?

The lack of live sports has been one of the biggest drawbacks to cutting the cord, but Hulu attempts to bridge the gap with their Hulu + Live TV service.

The service comes with many sports networks you’d get from a cable or satellite TV provider, plus local channels, TNT, and TBS.

As far as cutting the cord without sacrificing live sports, Hulu + Live TV is one of your better options, but it doesn’t quite live up to what you get with traditional TV service.

We’ve listed the good and potentially bad sides of Hulu + Live TV below to help you decide if the service is right for you.

Live sports streaming with Hulu + Live TV:

Hulu + Live TV has the major sports networks you’d get from a cable or satellite TV service, even some that are typically reserved for higher-tiered packages. Sports networks that come with Hulu + Live TV include:

  • Big Ten Network
  • CBS Sports Network
  • ESPN
  • ESPN2
  • ESPNEWS
  • ESPNU
  • ESPN Bases Loaded
  • ESPN College Extra
  • ESPN Goal Line
  • FOX Sports 1
  • FOX Sports 2
  • Golf Channel
  • NBC Sports Network
  • Olympic Channel
  • SEC Network

Local channels and regional sports networks included

The national networks are great for keeping up with the sports world, but many sports fans just want to watch the local teams. Hulu + Live TV includes local channels and regional sports networks so you can watch your local NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL teams.

Your location determines which regional sports networks you get. Regional sports networks may not be available in all areas and are subject to blackouts. Go to hulu.com/live-sports and enter your ZIP code to see which regional sports networks are available in your area.

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CategoriesReviews SMARTPHONE By Khalil Be.

OnePlus 8 Pro Review : Welcome to the FLAGSHIP-ZONE

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Since the beginning (2014), the Oneplus company was the “dark knight” of the mobile world industry,  Obviously by making what we truly called a “FLAGSHIP KILLER” at a reasonable price.

OnePlus 2020, welcome to the FLAGSHIP-ZONE

OnePlus 8 Pro is the latest and most expensive smartphone the six-year-old company has ever launched.  with the base OnePlus 8 Pro, with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, costs $900, and the fully kitted model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage costs $1,000.For those keeping count, that’s as much as the Galaxy S20 and $250 more than last year’s top-end OnePlus 7 Pro. OnePlus’ price advantage — a key part of the identity the company built for itself — isn’t as big a factor anymore.

And YES, the progress comes at a price: OnePlus has graduated from plucky underdog to almost indistinguishable from the rival manufacturers whose prices the Shenzhen-based company used to routinely mock. So, when there is almost no price difference … is it still worth picking a smartphone from OnePlus over rivals from Samsung, Apple and Huawei?

OnePlus 8 Pro is here. And it’s all about speed once again.

The speed and fluidity of OnePlus phones has been one of the company’s biggest strengths, which is something the OP8 and OP8 Pro showcase in full force. Between a number of OS optimizations and either 90Hz or 120HZ screens (which are a real delight), both phones are a joy to use. Everything feels incredibly snappy, and combined with OnePlus being one of the faster phone makers when it comes to pushing out new software updates, OnePlus phones deliver the best Android experience of any phone not made by Google.

Specs — Just the Right Stuff ..

OnePlus 8 ProOnePlus 8
SoftwareAndroid 10
OxygenOS		Android 10
OxygenOS
Display6.78″ QHD Fluid AMOLED
3168×1440, 513ppi, 19.8:9
120Hz		6.55″ FHD Fluid AMOLED
2400×1080, 402ppi, 20:9
90Hz
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 865
Adreno 650		Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
Adreno 650
MemoryStorage: 128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.0)
RAM: 8GB / 12GB LPDDR5		Storage: 128GB / 256GB (UFS 3.0)
RAM: 8GB / 12GB LPDDR4X
Camera (Rear)48MP Main
—f/1.7, OIS, EIS, 1.12um
—Dual LED Flash
—PDAF + CAF + LAF
—Sony IMX68948MP Ultra Wide
—f/2.2, 119.7° FOV8MP Telephoto
—f/2.4, OIS, 1.0um
—3x hybrid zoom5MP Color Filter
—f/2.4		48MP Main
—f/1.75, OIS, EIS, 0.8um
—Dual LED Flash
—PDAF + CAF
—Sony IMX58616MP Ultra Wide
—f/2.2, 116° FOV
—Sensor zoom 2x2MP Macro
—f/2.4, 1.75um
Camera (Front)16MP Front
—f/2.4, EIS, 1.0um
—Sony IMX471		16MP Front
—f/2.4, EIS, 1.0um
—Sony IMX471
Battery4510mAh
Warp Charge 30T
Warp Charge 30 Wireless
Reverse Wireless Charging		4300mAh
Warp Charge 30T
Connectivity5G / 4G LTE
WiFi 802.11ax (WiFi 6)
Bluetooth 5.1
NFC		5G / 4G LTE
WiFi 802.11ax (WiFi 6)
Bluetooth 5.1
NFC
OtherIn-display fingerprint
USB-C (USB 3.1)
Dual nano-SIM
Alert Slider
Dual Stereo Speakers
IP68 water and dust resistance		In-display fingerprint
USB-C (USB 3.1)
Dual nano-SIM
Alert Slider
Dual Stereo Speakers
Size165.3 x 74.35 x 8.5mm
199g		160.2 x 72.9 x 8.0mm
180g
ColorsOnyx Black
Glacial Green
Ultramarine Blue		Onyx Black
Glacial Green
Interstellar Glow

DESIGN — Luxury to the bones.

OnePlus labels this phone as compact, compared to the phones I’m comparing to (Galaxy S20 Ultra, LG V60), it does feel smaller and fantastic in-hand. OnePlus was big to point out that the phone is hardly thicker than a pencil at just 8mm, where a standard pencil is around 6mm. That’s pretty thin.

Sadly, no versions of the OP8 have a headphone jack

DISPLAY — simply the best.

For the OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus tossed in a 6.78″ Quad HD Fluid AMOLED display with a top refresh rate of 120Hz. This is the top-spec for a display in 2020. If you are making a high-end phone this year, it better match this or you will be thought of (rightfully) as a step below.

This particular display has excellent viewing angles, where even steep off-axis viewing provides crystal clear colors. It might be better than Samsung in this area, which is huge for those of you who look at your phone as it lies on a desk all day. With colors, you get to customize that experience with Vivid, Natural, or Advanced options. Advanced lets you go wild with Wide Gamut, sRGB, or Display P3 modes, should that be a thing of interest. I left my review device on Vivid and love the punch and sharpness.

Is 120Hz as cool as you hoped? Yes, it is. Coming from a Pixel 4 XL with 90Hz and a Galaxy S20 with 120Hz, I’m so enjoying this world with high refresh rates. I can’t ever see myself going back to 60Hz for an extended period of time. The world on your smartphone looks better when everything is smooth at all times.

Additionally, OnePlus once again included a number of display options that I feel should be standard on all phones in 2020. It has adaptive brightness, but you’ll find a “Comfort tone” setting that adapts screen color based on your environment, video color enhancing and smoothing modes, and Night and Reading modes.

CAMERAS — Agh .. it’s not enough.

OnePlus phones usually had one big caveat: The cameras were never that great. That’s starting to change though. I’m not going to say that the company nailed it this time — some of its decisions are certainly questionable — but overall we’re looking at big improvements where it matters.

You’ll spend most of your time with the 8 Pro’s standard wide camera, so it’s a good thing that OnePlus clearly paid the most attention to it. Oneplus went with Sony’s 48-megapixel IMX689 sensor, with optical image stabilization and an f/1.78 aperture, but don’t be fooled: You’re much better shooting 12-megapixel stills instead of full-resolution whoppers.

The setup here is a 48MP main shooter at f/1.7, 48MP ultra-wide angle at f/2.2, 8MP telephoto at f/2.4, and a 5MP color filter lens. I still have no idea what the color filter lens is doing after two weeks of testing, but I can tell you that the main and wide-angle cameras are excellent.

The selfie camera works well enough, but you’re going to look pretty soft in anything less than ideal light, and a built-in macro mode can be helpful if you’re taking incredibly tight shots. It’s not necessary all the time because the main camera does a nice job when you’re right next to your subject, but the extra processing does bring out some of the finer details.

BATTERY— finally a fast wireless charge made by Oneplus.

I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been waiting for Oneplus to implement a wireless charging solution on its phones since the Oneplus6, but dear readers, this phone gets what I was looking for – a RAW 30W WARP CHARGE- Thank goodness.

One of the big upsides of OnePlus’ many tweaks and optimizations is that the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro really sip power when doing things like watching videos— something that allowed both phones to turn in some of the longest battery lives.

However, in real life if you’re connected to 5G or you have 90Hz or 120Hz mode turned on, you’re looking at at least two to three hours less of real-world runtime, especially if you enable 120Hz mode at the OnePlus 8 Pro’s max QHD+ resolution.

CONNECTIVITY — Obviously its about the 5G .

For connectivity, OnePlus has mostly knocked this out of the park. You have LTE and 5G connectivity where you will need it. I know that it doesn’t have 5G mmW support, but 5G mmW is stupid and a waste of worry. This phone connects to mid-band and low-band 5G, which is all you will ever really need to care about for the next several years.

The OnePlus 8 Pro also has Bluetooth 5.1 and WiFi 6 (802.11ax), so it’s as ready for the future of connectivity as any device on the market.

COLORS — Few choices but well-chosen ..

The OnePlus 8 Pro comes in black, a deep ultramarine blue, and a new light green which is by far my favorite of the three, though “green” can seem like a misnomer: Depending on the light around you, the finish varies from seafoam to teal, which you’ll probably notice in our photos.

SIDE NOTES :

  • On top of being available unlocked, the OnePlus 8 will also be available from both T-Mobile and Verizon.
  • The carrier versions of the OnePlus 8 have a few differences including official IP68 water resistance and support for mmWave 5G on Verizon.
  • On the more premium OP8 Pro, OnePlus has finally added Qi wireless charging, which is really fast when paired with OnePlus’ 30-watt wireless charger.
  • The OnePlus 8 Pro feels a lot like a cheaper version of the Galaxy S20+, in a good way.
  • While they sound neat, the OP8’s macro cam and the OP8 Pro’s color filter camera aren’t really all that useful.
  • Pre-orders for the OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro are live, with devices officially going on sale on April 29th.

 

Verdict: OnePlus finally made a flagship phone flagship features and a flagship price.

The 8 Pro stacks up surprisingly well against the best the industry has to offer. It used to be that OnePlus phones were excellent because of their value, but don’t get caught up in that line of thinking.

The OnePlus 8 Pro is an excellent phone, period.

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