Joined on 07/15/20
Fast, Tons of Storage, and Easily Hides Under Heatsink
Pros: - 2 TB for an M.2 NVMe SSD - Fast read and write speeds - Fit nicely underneath the MoBo M.2 NVMe heatsink
Cons: - None so far
Overall Review: - Fit nicely under the heatsink on my ASUS TUF Gaming Z490 PLUS - Bootup time was pretty fast at 13 seconds - Installing programs was very fast - Copying files was also quick
Has No Problem Cooling My Comet Lake!
Pros: - Seems to be the definitive thermal grease/paste from all my research online and I believe it after seeing how well it's doing I'm my own system - My i7-10700K is idling at about 27 C and OCCT only can get it up to about 70 C (with a Corsair h115i Pro) - Very easy to apply with a simple syringe-like mechanism
Cons: - Came with a decent amount but maybe could have been a little bit more such as 1.5 grams
Overall Review: - This was my very first time PC build and using this product was one of the easiest parts of the build, even though I was nervous that I would mess up applying my thermal paste - I do wish it came with a smidge more than just 1.0 gram since at point in the build I accidentally smeared a little thermal paste and was worried I would have to start over and reapply the thermal paste but wouldn't have enough. I ended up just having to clean the small smear using the little tool included with this product - I debated just using the pre-installed thermal paste that was on my Corsair h115i Pro, but after a lot research it seemed clear to me that Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is the best way to basically guarantee that you are getting the best cooling possible as far as themal paste goes
Cooling My Comet Lake To Be Icy Cold!
Pros: - Getting idle temps on my i7-10700K at about 27 C - OCCT CPU test only got up to about 70 C - ML140 fans are better than I expected as far as silence and airflow capability - AIO pump RGB is captivating and one of the first things my friends and family commented about
Cons: - Requires a USB 2.0 header - At one point in installing this, the pump sorta slipped out of the metal bracket. After cleaning some thermal paste smearing and realigning the pump on to the bracket, it installed perfectly and stayed put. Probably my error in somehow rotating the metal bracket such that the screws came loose, but still a tense/unexpected moment for a first time PC builder
Overall Review: - This is a great AIO because the fans are actually doing a better job than I was expecting at pulling air through the rad while front-mounted in my case - Everyone I show my new PC to loves the RGB pump and I smile every time I look at it too - Unfortunately, my MoBo only had one USB 2.0 header that was being used up by my case's front panel, so I had to find a microUSB to USB-A cable, remove a PCIe cover from my case, and plug it into the I/O shield of my MoBo
So Glad I Went With An 850W!
Pros: - 850 Watts offers plenty of room for a top-notch CPU and a power-hungry GPU - Came with plenty of cables that were easy to work with, even for a first time builder - Good price point for an 80+ Gold efficiency PSU
Cons: - The fanless Hybrid mode button slightly confused me at first since I expected pressing the button in would enable it, but pressing it in actually is Normal mode, so that concerned me for a second when I first tested the PSU
Overall Review: - Overall, I am very happy I went with this wattage and this brand and it proved to be one of the easiest components to work with for a beginner PC builder - I would definitely recommend Seasonic brand PSUs since I have had a great experience with it so far and I found in my research that many others trust this brand as well
4.5/5.0 Great MoBo With Wi-Fi Capability
Pros: - Has Wi-Fi and an antenna just in case you are not guaranteed to have Ethernet LAN - Has a USB-C header - Heatsink for M.2 NVMe SSD - Supports my i7-10700K Comet Lake - Cool I/O shield with TUF Gaming logo - USB-C port and DisplayPort 1.4 - A couple of subtle RGB strips
Cons: - Really wish this had a second USB 2.0 header, which is why I would rather rate this at 4.5 eggs - Only supports PCIe3, but I understand PCIe4 Mobos don't really come out until Rocket Lake is launched (pun definitely intended)
Overall Review: - Fantastic MoBo that felt very durable when installing - Unfortunately, the sole USB 2.0 header was taken by my front panel, so I had to find a micro USB to USB-A cable for my Corsair h115i Pro, remove a PCIe cover on my case, and plug it into the I/O shield on the MoBo - This MoBo had everything I wanted (Wi-Fi, USB-C header and port, Z490 chipset, 4 RAM slots, M.2 NVMe heatsink, good price point) except for a second USB 2.0 header
Very Happy With The Turbo Boost Capabilities!
Pros: - Turbo boosts up to 5.1 GHz - Very fast base clock of 3.8 GHz - Can do a lot with 8 cores/16 threads and hyperthreading - Idle temps at about 27 C and under load temps at about 75 C (with Corsair h115i Pro) - Surprisingly decent iGPU
Cons: - None so far
Overall Review: - I was debating getting an i9-10900k, but I am very happy I went with the i7 since the 8 core count proved to be perfect for my needs - The integrated graphics card was better than I expected since it had no trouble displaying to my 4K (rated up to 120 Hz) monitor at 60 Hz, but still nothing I would be comfortable playing a AAA game with lol - The Intel Graphics Command Center is a pretty nice and simple GUI program for managing the iGPU