Tiny Reviews – Countless Reviews From Real Users & Buyers https://tiny-reviews.com Countless Reviews From Real Users & Buyers Fri, 17 Jun 2022 12:06:16 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://tiny-reviews.com/wp-dir/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/cropped-iconfinder_Yelp_3245391-32x32.png Tiny Reviews – Countless Reviews From Real Users & Buyers https://tiny-reviews.com 32 32 Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G SSD Review https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2996-hikvision-e100n-m-2-2280-512gb-sataiii-3d-tlc-hs-ssd-e100n-512g-ssd-review https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2996-hikvision-e100n-m-2-2280-512gb-sataiii-3d-tlc-hs-ssd-e100n-512g-ssd-review#respond Fri, 17 Jun 2022 12:06:11 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2996 In our current difficult time, finding an adequate SSD drive for sale for a reasonable price becomes akin to a feat. Prices and assortment are unstable, it is impossible to predict the availability of goods on sale and you have to choose from what is. In my case, the choice is further complicated by the fact that I need an unpopular SSD format: M.2 SATA. Having studied the assortment of the store, I found a HIKVISION brand SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G for quite reasonable money. Knowing this brand from video surveillance systems, I decided to try and risk buying a HIKVISION brand drive.

Without hesitation, I placed an order and it was amazingly quickly delivered to the pickup point! Having received the order in my hands, I ran home to check and test the SSD drive of the company that previously produced video surveillance systems!

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 16

Information about HIKVISION:

Hikvision is a Chinese company. The full name is Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd.. The company is headquartered in Hangzhou. Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd. is the world’s largest supplier of video surveillance products and turnkey video surveillance solutions. Founded in 2001, Hikvision today employs over 52,752 people, including a research and development staff of 4,000.

Official Specifications

Capacity, GB:512
Interface:SATA III 6Gb/s
Reading speed (maximum), Mb/s:550
Recording speed (maximum), Mb/s:500
Form factor:M.2 (B+M key)
Memory type:3D TLC
Resource (TBW), TB:176
Warranty period, years:3
Products webpage:HIKVISION E100N

Packaging and equipment

The SSD comes in a relatively large box with a cutout for hanging on a store shelf.

On the front side there is information about the manufacturer, an indication of the type and model of the drive, the connection interface and the volume of the drive.

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 2

On the reverse side of the package there is a cutout and the drive itself is visible through it. In addition to this, on the reverse side there is information about the manufacturer’s address, volume calculation features, warranty period, brand / model of the drive.

Also noteworthy is the presence of protective stickers on the top and bottom, which allow you to assess the integrity of the package (as well as make sure that the package has not been opened before).

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 3

The drive inside the box is securely fixed in a plastic container to prevent damage during transportation.

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 14

Inside the box, except for the drive itself, there is nothing.

Appearance and features

The drive is made on a dark (black) printed circuit board in the 2280 form factor.

On the front side there is a controller and four memory chips. There is nothing on the back side – the SSD drive has a one-sided mounting and layout.

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 4
SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 5

The drive uses a not very common MAXIO MAS1102 controller and YMTC memory.

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 6
SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 7

To determine the type of memory and clarify the controller used, let’s turn to the Flash ID Reader utility by Ochkin Vadim (vlo) for help:

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, Flash ID reader Ochkin Vadim (vlo)

As you can see in the screenshot, the utility fully confirmed the information about the controller and memory manufacturer. The drive uses 64-layer TLC-memory manufactured by YMTC. I could not find information about the controller and its characteristics on the Internet.

After formatting, the amount of SSD available to the user is 476GB:

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 9

Installing an SSD drive on the motherboard

As mentioned above, the drive has an M.2 SATA connection interface (B+M key) and requires a compatible motherboard for installation: the motherboard must have an M.2 connector with a B+M key and support for M.2 SATA SSD- drives. Please check your motherboard documentation for supported SSD type.

! Attention. If installed on an incompatible motherboard, the motherboard and/or SSD may be damaged.

Installing an SSD drive on a motherboard consists of several steps:

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 10
  1. Search for a compatible connector on the motherboard;
  2. Unscrewing the fixing screw on the motherboard;
  3. Installing an SSD drive on the motherboard in a compatible slot;
  4. Fixing the SSD drive in the slot and tightening the mounting screw.

! Attention. The mounting screw is not included with the SSD. It is necessary to check the motherboard package for the presence of a mounting screw.

Verification and Testing

During the first power-up, the CrystalDiskInfo application reported that the freshly purchased SSD drive had already been turned on 3 times and the amount of read / written information was 0, i.e. Drive is brand new.

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, CrystalDiskInfo

Immediately draws attention to a large number of SMART parameters

Testing

Two popular programs will be used for testing. These are CrystalDiskMark and AIDA64.

In the first program, we find out the speed of the drive when performing read and write operations. In the second, we will find out the write speed on the entire volume of the drive and the size of the SLC cache / buffer.

CrystalDiskMark 8

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, CrystalDiskMark Test Result

The test result shows that the read / write speeds are fully consistent with those declared by the manufacturer.

AIDA64

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, AIDA Disk Benchmark Line Write

The size of a high-speed SLC cache is approximately ~ 28% of the drive volume, then the speed drops to ~ 300 MB/s and stays at this value up to ~ 53%, and after the last drop, the speed is ~ 135 MB/s.

Temperature regime

The SSD is missing a temperature sensor and/or the temperature is hardcoded. Therefore, the temperature is unchanged and is 30 degrees.

Proprietary Software

The official website has information about the HIKStorageSetup proprietary software, but unfortunately, when you try to download, an error appears and nothing can be downloaded. Attempts to use VPN services were unsuccessful:

SSD Hikvision E100N M.2 2280 512GB SATAIII 3D TLC HS-SSD-E100N/512G, image 15

Conclusion

The SSD has performed well. It has an excellent cost / volume / quality / speed ratio and offers a balanced set of features for its price. Only the not very high TBW (resource) parameter, which is 176TB, upsets. But on the other hand, it is not so small compared to its competitors.

The size of the fast SLC cache is comfortable for normal home use of the drive. And even if you have to write a large amount of information, the speed drop is not as catastrophic as for analogs with QLC memory, which are becoming more and more among budget models.

Based on the foregoing, if you need to purchase an M.2 SATA SSD drive, I can recommend the HIKVISION brand drive discussed above for purchase.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on Speaker JBL Flip 5 Squad https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2988-review-on-speaker-jbl-flip-5-squad https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2988-review-on-speaker-jbl-flip-5-squad#respond Fri, 17 Jun 2022 11:18:10 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2988
Speaker JBL Flip 5 Squad, image 1

Good day everyone. I haven’t written a review for a long time, but I can’t help but feel the emotions associated with listening to hard rock on the penultimate version (the new JBL Flip 6, even more powerful) of the JBL Flip 5 speakers. I have had a soft spot for JBL products for many years. These are headphones, and two JBL Flip 4 speakers, and Boombox. Everything works well and pleases the ear.

Well, now, more about the column JBL Flip 5.

Speaker JBL Flip 5 Squad, image 2

As always, products are delivered in high-quality cardboard packaging. It shows a speaker with a badge from the manufacturer indicating that they think it is the best selling speaker in the world, ie. № 1.

Speaker JBL Flip 5 Squad, image 3

And of course, her squad camouflage color is highlighted. All the JBL speakers I have purchased in recent years are of this color. In my opinion, they look better in nature than other colors. However, this is a matter of taste.

Speaker JBL Flip 5 Squad, image 4

Inside the cardboard box is an insert with a charging cable, a warranty card, and instructions in different languages.

Speaker JBL Flip 5 Squad, image 6

The speaker itself, and this is the first time, lies tightly in a plastic case, which is very convenient when transported in luggage over long distances. That’s probably all about the packaging.

Speaker JBL Flip 5 Squad, image 5

Now, in detail about the column itself. Outwardly, it differs little from the previous version of Flip 4, but bigger and heavier. The column weighs 540 grams, and its dimensions are 181x69x74 cm. The declared power of 20 W provides a slightly louder sound, but most importantly, rich bass that was not there before. The frequency range is extended towards low frequencies, and is 65 – 20000 Hz. Connects to the smartphone also via Bluetooth, but version 4.2. Charges in about two hours. It plays for a long time, but at a good volume it will last about 8 hours, and not the declared twelve. I think this time will be more than enough for any party. IPX7 dust and moisture resistant, which means it will play well even in heavy rain. Through the JBL Connect+ program and the PartyBoost function, it can be combined with other speakers in its series, which will provide stereo surround sound. In a word, the column is good for everyone, choose according to your taste. Or rather, the color. There are eleven color options available. The price, of course, has grown, but this is understandable. I recommend to buy both the product and the seller. Have a good rest, and fun parties with high-quality musical accompaniment.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2979-review-on-jbl-live-pro-tws-wireless-headphones https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2979-review-on-jbl-live-pro-tws-wireless-headphones#comments Fri, 17 Jun 2022 10:50:37 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2979
JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones, image 1

It was decided to purchase wireless headphones from the well-known American manufacturer JBL to replace the HUAWEI FreeBuds Pro wireless headphones, which it was time to change because of their old age. After reading reviews on the Internet and making conclusions for myself about the main criteria for a future choice, I set about implementing it. Firstly, the main criteria for buying true wireless headphones should have been: nice design, brand awareness and fit in the ear. After reviewing several models, I settled on JBL Live Pro +, chose white and placed an order for them on the online store. The cost of the headphones at the time of my purchase was 110 USD, but taking into account the use of bonuses, they cost 102 USD.

The headphones come in a sturdy 100 x 160 x 45 mm cardboard box with a photo of the wireless headphones on the front and back, and a description of the main features of the technical product in several languages ​​on the back of the package.

JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones, image 2
JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones, image 3

The case is made in a standard form factor and has compact dimensions (55x48x26mm), but opens in such a way that it provides access to the entire earpiece at once, which makes it more convenient to remove the earbuds. It is made of plastic that is pleasant to the touch, the lid opens comfortably, without clicks and has no backlash. On the front (front) side of the case there are 3 LED indicators that allow you to approximately get information about charging the gadget.

Also included in the kit (except for the charging case and the TWS headphones themselves) is a warranty card, a small brochure for quick connection of the gadget, a booklet for using the google assistant, 4 pairs of simple ear pads of different sizes, orange (in the color of the brand) charging wires 28 centimeters long .

JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones, image 4

The charging wire is orange, but it stops annoying already on the second day (addictive effect). If 28cm seems short to you or the color scheme will hurt your eyes, then now everyone has a bunch of different cables at home, and given that Type-C is now the most common charging socket, I think that there are problems with replacing it will not.

JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones, image 5

By the way, the cable is made in such a way that you can insert it into the USB socket without thinking about which side you do it.

JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones, image 6

Headphones have a standard shape. All adjustments are made using the touch button. You can change the noise reduction mode (on / off / transparency mode), activate the voice assistant, answer and end an incoming call, play and pause music, and switch music tracks. Unfortunately, the volume up and down on the headphones themselves is not provided, and this can only be done by adjusting the phone or player.

JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones, image 7

Audibility during a conversation in headset mode is good, and the interlocutor hears you satisfactorily, depending on the mode of using a wireless gadget.

Headphones do not fall out of the ears, do not cause discomfort. The sound quality is high and low. The sensor responds immediately and does not have to be pressed several times.

For the convenience of using headphones on your phone, you need to download the My JBL Headphones application. It shows the TWS battery percentage, adjusts noise reduction modes, suggests the best fit for the headphones, downloads and updates the firmware if necessary, and much more.

JBL Live Pro+ TWS Wireless Headphones, image 8

The process of synchronizing headphones and phone is almost instantaneous.

Autonomy is not great, but sufficient: a case battery is 500 mAh, an earphone is 55 mAh. The headphone battery life declared by the manufacturer at 7 hours has not yet been achieved, but 5.0 – 5.5 hours at a volume of 70 percent – they can withstand it completely. Supports wireless charging.

Noise canceling is sufficient for most locations, but in the subway train noise is not completely blocked. Transparency mode allows you to freely carry on a conversation without removing the headphones.

Summarizing, we can say that the assembly of the JBL Live Pro + is very good, the sound is high-quality at all frequencies and allows you to listen to music of different genres and musical directions with pleasure. I recommend this device for purchase.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on SSD NETAC M.2 2280 N950E Pro 1.0 TB PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC (NT01N950E-001T-E4X) https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2969-review-on-ssd-netac-m-2-2280-n950e-pro-1-0-tb-pcie-nvme-3-0-x4-tlc-nt01n950e-001t-e4x https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2969-review-on-ssd-netac-m-2-2280-n950e-pro-1-0-tb-pcie-nvme-3-0-x4-tlc-nt01n950e-001t-e4x#respond Fri, 10 Jun 2022 15:34:12 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2969 Hi all! In the process of upgrading the PC, it was necessary to replace an old SATA SSD drive with something more modern. The main requirements for the new drive were as follows: capacity from 1Tb, m2 2280 interface, NVMe support and read / write speeds in the region of 3000 MB/s, while the budget is ideally up to 50 USD.

I began to monitor offers and drew attention to this drive – it perfectly suited my requirements. I was a little embarrassed by the lack of reviews and a not very well-known manufacturer, but on YouTube I managed to find a complete review of the same disk, but with a capacity of 500 GB. The author conducted various tests and spoke very positively about this drive and recommended it for purchase. There were concerns about compatibility – drives from this manufacturer were not on the list tested with my AsRock B450M-DVS R4.0 motherboard, but I decided to take a chance and purchased this drive. The first thing I would like to note from the pluses is the delivery set. Separately, I would like to note the presence of a heatsink in the delivery kit, this is really a rarity and a big plus for this drive. With a radiator, you can count on more comfortable working conditions for the drive, and, accordingly, this should have a positive effect on the service life and more stable read / write speeds under load. Also available is even a screwdriver and a couple of bolts. Bolts, by the way, were very useful, I did not have them in stock.

In general, the package looks like this:

Review on SSD drive NETAC M.2 (2280) N950E Pro 1.0 Tb PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC NT01N950E-001T-E4X - image 9

If you go to the manufacturer’s website, you can get acquainted with the drives of this model. The manufacturer’s warranty period is 5 years, the store’s website indicates a 3-year warranty period.

Review on SSD drive NETAC M.2 (2280) N950E Pro 1.0 Tb PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC NT01N950E-001T-E4X - image Product Parameter

If anyone is interested, below is a photo where you can take a closer look at the drive and see the markings of the memory chips and the controller:

Review on SSD drive NETAC M.2 (2280) N950E Pro 1.0 Tb PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC NT01N950E-001T-E4X - image 7
Review on SSD drive NETAC M.2 (2280) N950E Pro 1.0 Tb PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC NT01N950E-001T-E4X - image 4
Review on SSD drive NETAC M.2 (2280) N950E Pro 1.0 Tb PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC NT01N950E-001T-E4X - image 5

Armed with a screwdriver and a bolt, we mount the drive on the motherboard:

Review on SSD drive NETAC M.2 (2280) N950E Pro 1.0 Tb PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC NT01N950E-001T-E4X - image 10

There is nothing complicated, they installed and secured the drive with a bolt. The radiator from the kit is simply glued onto the chips from above. The only thing you should pay attention to is that if you stick a heat sink on an already installed drive, then you need to place it in such a way that it does not cover the mounting bolt. We also see from the photo that the drive has 2 LEDs to indicate operation, but they are visible only until the heatsink is glued on.

Actually, after installing the drive, it was successfully detected in the system and Windows 11 was installed. The installation went very smoothly, by the way. First of all, we run the CrystalDiskInfo utilities to get information about the drive and use CrystalDiskMark to test the speed.

Review on SSD drive NETAC M.2 (2280) N950E Pro 1.0 Tb PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC NT01N950E-001T-E4X - image CrystalDiskInfo
Review on SSD drive NETAC M.2 (2280) N950E Pro 1.0 Tb PCIe NVMe 3.0 x4 TLC NT01N950E-001T-E4X - image CrystalDiskMark

As you can see, the drive in this benchmark shows the declared read / write speeds. It is not possible to accurately measure the temperature of the radiator, but according to tactile sensations during the test, it heated up to about 40-50 degrees Celsius, i.e. the finger does not burn and you can safely keep it on the radiator. The programs constantly display a temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, because. sewn by the manufacturer in the firmware.

In general, at this stage, everything is fine. There are no compatibility issues with my AsRock B450M-DVS R4.0 motherboard, the system starts up instantly and runs smoothly. The reliability of this drive can be judged only after a while.

In general, the drive was satisfied. Of the main advantages, I note an excellent delivery package, including a cooling radiator and a good price / performance ratio. Of the minuses, I would note the lack of information from the manufacturer about the resource of the drive and the fixed display of the drive temperature at 40 degrees in any mode of operation.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on SSD M.2 2280 ADATA Ultimate SU650 256GB SATA3 3D TLC (ASU650NS38-256GT-C) https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2957-review-on-ssd-m-2-2280-adata-ultimate-su650-256gb-sata3-3d-tlc-asu650ns38-256gt-c https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2957-review-on-ssd-m-2-2280-adata-ultimate-su650-256gb-sata3-3d-tlc-asu650ns38-256gt-c#respond Fri, 10 Jun 2022 14:21:19 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2957 SSD drives with SATA3 interface are no longer a Hi-end solution, but in order to breathe a second life into an old computer or laptop, this is an indispensable solution. The drive from ADATA Ultimate SU650 is a very good solution for such an upgrade.

Review on SSD M.2 2280 ADATA Ultimate SU650 256GB SATA-III 3D TLC (ASU650NS38-256GT-C) - image 1

The reverse side of the board without chips.

Review on SSD M.2 2280 ADATA Ultimate SU650 256GB SATA-III 3D TLC (ASU650NS38-256GT-C) - image 2

M.2 connection interface and can be connected both by M and B key, you can’t make a mistake, which is suitable for any old and new device.

Review on SSD M.2 2280 ADATA Ultimate SU650 256GB SATA-III 3D TLC (ASU650NS38-256GT-C) - image 3

The delivery set is more than modest, except for the drive itself, there is nothing else. The mounting bolt will have to be looked for separately. There is no radiator either, but in principle it is not needed, since this is not a super fast NVMe. And the temperatures are quite acceptable for any operating conditions.

Review on SSD M.2 2280 ADATA Ultimate SU650 256GB SATA-III 3D TLC (ASU650NS38-256GT-C) - CrystalDiskInfo

The speeds are also decent, they use the SATA3 interface to the maximum. 560 Mb/s is the limit for SATA3 drives. Although these speeds are far from NVMe, everything is exactly at least 6 times faster than a conventional HDD, and also several times quieter than a classic hard drive. It is because of these indicators that old devices are again in demand and are not inferior to modern systems in simple tasks, which is very important these days.

As a rule, installing an SSD in a computer or laptop is not a trivial task. In my case, the drive was required for the ASUS K501U laptop, there was a slow HDD on board, and the M.2 connector for the upgrade was not used on the board.

Review on SSD M.2 2280 ADATA Ultimate SU650 256GB SATA-III 3D TLC (ASU650NS38-256GT-C) - image 11

We find the connector, disconnect the battery, and install the SSD. The bolt for fastening, as I wrote above, must be sought separately. I had an extra one from another board, you can ask at any computer workshop.

Review on SSD M.2 2280 ADATA Ultimate SU650 256GB SATA-III 3D TLC (ASU650NS38-256GT-C) - image 12

The whole procedure takes no more than 20 minutes. After another 20 minutes, installing and configuring the OS on a new media.

The ADATA Ultimate SU650 drive itself is distinguished by the maximum speed for the SATA3 interface, the tests show that the declared speeds correspond.

The resource of 420 TWB is quite a lot, which will be enough for another 5 years at least and very intensive operation.

What separately pleased was the absence of the need for additional BIOS firmware and other dances with a tambourine, which often happens with SSD M.2 devices. Not all boards see and detect a new device. ADATA Ultimate SU650 was immediately defined both in a modern computer and in an old laptop.

If you need a simple upgrade solution and there is no need for cosmic write and read speeds, the Ultimate SU650 is an excellent solution both in terms of price and workmanship.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on Motherboard AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2911-review-on-motherboard-asrock-h570-phantom-gaming-4 https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2911-review-on-motherboard-asrock-h570-phantom-gaming-4#respond Mon, 07 Jun 2021 09:39:33 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2911 I thought about updating my computer, used for everything, and playing, and surfing the Internet, and video encoding, and so on. In this case, it happens that you need to perform several tasks at the same time. The previous processor was the eighth generation i7. It so happened that I sold it along with the motherboard and began to select a new configuration. And just INTEL released the next, eleventh generation of processors, the choice became obvious, the new Core i7 11700 CPU, and accordingly a new motherboard is needed. Having studied the specifications of the new chipsets, I decided that it would be either H570 or Z570, since only these two chipsets have some new chips, their junior chipsets deprived. But motherboards on the Z chipset cost quite inhumane money, so I opted for the H chipset. And already from motherboards on the H570 chipset I chose this option from AsRock, the Phantom Gaming 4 model. This motherboard had everything I needed. There is a decent power circuit with heatsinks and all the necessary connectors. This is the motherboard I bought.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 1

Brief characteristics:

  • Socket: LGA 1200
  • Supported processors: 10th and 11th generation
  • Chipset: Intel H570
  • SLI / CrossFire Support: CrossFire X
  • Memory: DDR4 4 slots in dual channel mode
  • Maximum memory capacity: 128GB
  • SATA: SATA 6Gb / s 6 pieces
  • Number of M.2 slots: 4 pieces
  • Expansion slots: 2xPCI-E x16, 3xPCI-E x1
  • Sound: Realtek ALC897
  • Ethernet: Intel I219V
  • Main power connector: 24-pin
  • CPU power connector: 8-pin + 4-pin
  • Form Factor: ATX
  • RGB tape connector: yes

So, this motherboard comes in such a colorful box.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 2 (Box)

The reverse side shows various features of this motherboard, such as a USB 3.2 Gen 2 front panel, an M.2 connector for a WiFi module, a Hyper M.2 connector for an SSD, a network card based on an INTEL chip and support for RGB strips.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 3 (Box)

We open the box, we see the delivery set.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 4

We see the back cover of the input and output ports.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 5 Backplate

Two SATA cables.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 6 (Sata Cables)

Four screws for fastening M.2 devices.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 7

Manual.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 8

Disk with drivers and utilities.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 9 (Driver Disk)

Well, let’s move on to the board itself. The board is made on black PCB, the soldering is neat, the flux is washed, the components are soldered exactly.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 10

Rear I/O panel. Here we see PS/2 keyboard / mouse, HDMI, Display Port, USB 3.0, USB Type-C, network jack and audio jacks.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 11

The power circuit of this motherboard is quite good, besides, there are radiators to remove heat from the transistors, I did not like that the radiators are fixed on plastic clips. Power connector 8 + 4 pins.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 39

Below the processor socket we see a scattering of connectors, four M.2 connectors, one high-speed Hyper M.2 for fast SSDs working directly with the processor, only with the eleventh generation, two Ultra M2 connectors and one WiFi M.2, respectively for the WiFi module. We also have two PCI-E x16 connectors, the board supports CrossFire. And three PCI-E x1 slots. Below there are pads for connecting USB 2.0 on the front panel, an audio jack, connection of buttons and indicators.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 13

There are four slots for RAM, next to it we see a 24-pin power supply connector, two USB 3.0 pads for the front panel of the case, one USB 3.2 Gen 2, six SATA ports. Also a tiny heatsink for the H570 chipset.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 14

View of the SATA ports, all directed parallel to the board, we can also see the USB connectors, one 3.0 is also directed parallel to the board.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 15

And we assemble the system, install the RAM, we have four strips of eight gigabytes, as well as a solid-state drive from INTEL.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 16

And of course the processor. Core i7 11700.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 40

We turn it on, the system started immediately, without any problems, let’s look at the BIOS of this board. This is the window that meets us. Here is the basic information about the system, the BIOS out of the box P1.30, the latest P1.70 was flashed.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 17

The translation could of course be better. Below is the fan setting. There are enough connectors on the board.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 18

We go to the advanced mode, the first page is the main one.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 19

Next is the overclocking tab.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 20

Followed by advanced settings.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 21

Further utilities.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 22

System monitoring.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 24

Setting up the fans again.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 25
AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 26

Safety

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 28

System boot options.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 29

Section exit.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 30

Information about the motherboard through the CPU-Z program.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 31 (CPU-Z)

Information about the processor.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 32 (Core i7 11700 CPU-Z)

RAM 32 GB.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 33 (DDR4 CPU-Z)

Let’s look at the sensors available on this board through the AIDA 64 program. The program does not correctly see this board.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 34 (AIDA64 Sensors)

Next is the data from the sensors in the load on the processor.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 35 (AIDA64 Sensors)

Then we go to the BIOS and remove the restriction from the processor thermal package and run the stress test. We get the following results.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 36 (OCCT v8.1.0)

And a couple of CPU benchmarks. Built-in WinRar benchmark.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 37 (Core i7 11700 WinRAR Benchmark)

Super PI.

AsRock H570 PHANTOM GAMING 4 image 38 (Core i7 11700 Super PI Benchmark)

I would like to finish a small review, which I did not like, translation into BIOS. In all other respects, everything is fine, including the quality of the assembly of the elements, the processor power circuit, the number of different connectors. CrossFire support for someone.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on Notebook Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2894-review-on-notebook-acer-extensa-15-ex215-22 https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2894-review-on-notebook-acer-extensa-15-ex215-22#respond Thu, 03 Jun 2021 08:36:05 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2894 Good day to all! A small review of the notebook Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22. Acer Extensa 15 laptops have everything you need for comfort and productive work throughout the day.

I bought it as a gift. And there were some minimum requirements for the laptop … it is clear that you can buy for 300 and 1000 US dollars, and both will meet the specific needs of the user. In this case, a laptop was needed for comfortable work (games were not planned). This means at least 8 GB of RAM, an IPS matrix is ​​desirable, a fast hard drive, the video card does not matter. I didn’t pay much attention to the processor – intel or AMD, by and large, was not important.

What we have on this laptop:

  • IPS, FullHD Display;
  • RAM – 8 GB DDR4
  • AMD AthlonT Silver 3050U APU (although in the description – 3500U);
  • Built-in video adapter;
  • NVMe SSD – 256 GB;
  • A laptop with Windows Home installed (it was important that the user could start working right away, and not look for a way to install the OS);

The rest of the parameters were not very important for me.

The laptop comes in a standard gray cardboard box. Comes with a charger and an adapter for a 2.5-inch hard drive. This adapter is supplied to replace the built-in NVMe disk or install an additional one, I could not understand, tk. there is no way to get to the SSD installation site without disassembling the case. (there is no “window” of access to the SSD; opening the laptop voids its warranty).

Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 1
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 3
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 4
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 5
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 6
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 7

There is no CD-ROM, and it is not needed at this time.

The description states that there are 2 USB 2.0 ports, but in fact the laptop has 2 USB 3.0 ports and 1 USB 2.0 port (you can see this in the photos).

On the lid of the laptop there is a webcam, a light sensor with two stereo microphone holes.

Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 10

Keyboard:

  • Personally, I do not like that the power button is located next to all the other keys (I like it when it is located separately);
  • I do not like that the English and Russian layouts are drawn in the same color – white;
  • I do not like that the keys “up” and “down” are reduced in size.
  • At the same time, an indisputable plus is the presence of a NUM keyboard.
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 9

The hard disk is not partitioned. As usual, there is a boot partition and a recovery partition. The main partition (Drive C) allows you to write 237.36 GB of data to the disk.

Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 8

AIDA64 shows that “on board” there is one memory strip from Micron 4 GB of memory with a frequency of 3200 MHz. And since the RAM on the laptop is 8 GB, we can conclude that another 4 GB is soldered directly on the motherboard. This often happens, and it is inconvenient to add RAM. First, you only have 1 memory slot. And secondly, the numbers will be “uneven”. If instead of 4x we put 8 GB, then the total volume will be 12 GB; and if we put 16 GB, then the volume will be 20 GB (we are used to numbers – powers of two – 2,4,8,16,32 … and we will not get a two-channel mode of memory operation in any way). With all this, the built-in video card “takes” 2 GB of RAM for its work. In total, we have 5.94 GB of RAM for work.

The video card was tested on FurMark. When tested on a full screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, the test produced 4 frames per second (FPS). Of course, with such testimony, there can be no question of any games. Is it just about the simplest or browser-based ones.

CrystalDiskInfo revealed that a Hynix SSD is used inside. NVM express data transfer interface, mode – PCIe3.0x4. Connector – M.2. So the disc can be easily replaced if needed. I was a little confused by the high temperature of the disk – 55 degrees (and during the test the speed rose to 60). At the same time, the program indicates a threshold temperature of 62 degrees. But, they say, the controller gets very hot during recording … let’s hope that the disc is inside with a heatsink or some kind of cooling system.

The speed test in the CrystalDiskMark program showed, in my opinion, very average results for NVMePCIe 3.0×4. At the same time, these numbers are still much larger than conventional SATA SSDs, and even more so there are more HDDs.

Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 11
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 12
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 13
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 14
Acer Extensa 15 EX215-22 Laptop image 15

Overall, I liked the laptop. I believe that for office work, it is perfect. Thin, light, good screen, good overall performance will allow you to work comfortably on it for several years (I hope it will work for 5-6 years). Also, pre-installed Windows 10 Home and Norton Security antivirus will allow you to start working right away.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2878-review-on-gigabyte-geforce-rtx-3080-vision-oc-10gb https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2878-review-on-gigabyte-geforce-rtx-3080-vision-oc-10gb#respond Thu, 03 Jun 2021 07:46:49 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2878
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 2

Greetings to readers and I want to present my review of the GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 10240Mb VISION OC video card.

Unfortunately, there are serious questions about the relevance of any video card reviews today due to problems with their availability, but, I hope, the boom of cryptocurrencies will subside, the shortage will end, and the prices for video cards will again correspond to the recommended manufacturer.

I was lucky to buy this video card in December 2020, at a “scarce” (ie higher than the recommended one due to a shortage of supply of video cards), but not yet “mining” price of 1200 US dollars. I bought it almost immediately after the release of the Cyberpunk 2077 game, and in fact for the sake of this game (my video card would no longer handle a 4K game, but I have a 4K monitor, and I wanted to play with “RTX On”).

The video card is delivered in a beautiful box, which traditionally contains all sorts of “chips” of this model:

  • Windforce (the marketing name for the Gigabyte technology, in which the central fan blows in the opposite direction, this can be seen even in the photo – the blades are deployed differently, this technology is designed to improve air flow and get rid of turbulence)
  • OC Edition (i.e. frequencies are higher than standard, the video card is overclocked by the manufacturer)
  • 3x Fans (3 fans)
  • 10 Gb GDDR6X
  • RGB Fusion 2.0 is a backlight technology, in the case of this video card, you can adjust the color only for the Gigabyte logo, nothing else glows.
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 3

The back of the box shows the video card itself and again lists its various features, including the presence of a metal back plate (backplate), HDMI outputs, and so on.

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 4

If we take the video card out of the box, we will find only a “quick instruction” that does not tell us anything interesting. Actually, the package contains nothing but a video card, and, to be honest, I was disappointed by the lack of a support. the video card is big, heavy! Many manufacturers supply such video cards with some method to support it in order to reduce the load on the PCI-E slot of the motherboard.

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 5

The video card itself is packed in an antistatic bag, sealed with an adhesive tape-seal, so if the seal is intact, you can be sure that the video card was not unpacked:

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 6

Front view of the video card: white, beautiful fans with specially shaped blades (obviously, to improve air flow), white plastic fan casing with an aluminum cover. Handsomely! Gigabyte’s Vision series also includes motherboards in the same style, perfect for black and white PC builds! The video card is equipped with a really powerful, heavy heatsink.

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 7

Rear view: Aluminum back plate with air hole and Vision branding.

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 8

The video card, as we can see, requires two PCI-E 8-pin power connectors, and, by the way, a powerful power supply unit, 750 W or higher is recommended.

The GIGABYTE lettering on the end of the video card is lit, its color can be adjusted in the RGB Fusion 2.0 software.

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 9

Assembled view:

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 10

As you can see, I just have a black and white PC assembly, a Gigabyte Z490 Vision G motherboard, so the assembly turned out to be in the same style.

I think it makes no sense to write about any test results, because it is easy to find tests from many reputable experts on the Internet. So, I’d better tell you about subjective feelings and some features.

The first and most important thing is the RTX video card, which means that it supports DLSS 2.0 technology (yes, the tracing technology will be lower, although for RTX it, in principle, is the main one).
For those who do not know what DLSS is, I will try to explain “on the fingers”: this is such an anti-aliasing technology (that is, the technology of eliminating “ladders” from pixels), which not only smooths the picture, but also knows how to increase its resolution, and, for example, an image that is rendered at 1440p can be upscaled to 2160p with almost the same high quality as the original image rendered at 2160p. This is achieved by special algorithms that can use previous frames (that is, several previous frames of the game are saved and information from them, already ready, can be used in a new frame), and a pre-trained neural network that can combine the data of the new frame with the data of the past frames (in which the picture is slightly shifted), thus restoring more information about the image,

The purpose of all this “magic” is to render games at a resolution lower than what is required for the monitor, and then upscale it to the desired resolution, thus increasing the FPS. And it really works great!
Until you try, compare, it is difficult to somehow judge DLSS, but when you see the results live, it’s impressive! Considering that enabling ray tracing significantly lowers FPS, DLSS 2.0 is an incredibly useful thing.

Now about the RT technology, i.e. ray tracing. Actually, the most impressive game that makes the most of RTX is, of course, Cyberpunk 2077: tracing is used for reflections, shadows and global illumination. With all three RT modes enabled, we get realistic reflections, extremely realistic lighting, and of course well-formed, lifelike shadows.
If you just turn on the game with or without tracing, and play, you will not notice anything, everything will look beautiful this way and that. But if you start comparing, or, even more so, first play with tracing, and then turn it off, the difference is incredible. The Internet is full of RTX On / Off comparisons, but until you see it live, you don’t understand what a “wow!” Effect this causes.

I will demonstrate with two comparisons of screenshots, so as not to be unfounded, although there are detailed videos with comparisons on the network, which I recommend watching.

The first comparison is shadows with and without RTX. On the left – the usual shadows for games, to which everyone is accustomed, this is how shadows work in most games without RTX support: regardless of the distance to the object casting the shadow, the shadows are quite clear, dense. Right – RTX On, shadows are calculated “physically correct”. We see that the shadows from objects far from the ground (the electric cables are above, these are the shadows from them we see on the ground) are blurred, as they should be, only a palm tree casts a clear shadow (the palm tree itself is on the top right, and its shadow is in the center of the frame), which is close to the ground, and even then – the shadow of the top of the palm tree is already more blurred than the shadow from the trunk.

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 11

The second comparison is global illumination. In the shot there is an underground passage with luminous panels on the ceiling and on the floor. On the left – normal lighting, as in “old” games without RTX. Light sources just have a certain color, but they don’t really illuminate anything. Right – RTX On. The luminous panels on the ceiling and on the floor really emit light, it is the ray tracing that calculates the physically correct distribution of this light, and the surfaces are not only illuminated, but also painted with the color of the source, i.e. RTX technology calculates not only where the rays “fly”, but also takes into account their color and correctly illuminates surfaces with this color.
By the way, RTX reflections are also included in the frame on the right, and you can compare, for example, the reflections of the billboard on the left side of the frame (with the inscription “You shoot. We aim”) – in the screenshot on the right, the clarity of the reflection is obviously higher, because the reflection is done physically correctly.

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3080 VISION OC 10GB image 12


In short, new technologies really change the gaming experience, incredibly increase the realism of games! I highly recommend switching to newer ray-traced graphics cards when prices return to normal.

This model of the video card works great, the heatsink and fans do an excellent job of cooling, and if you need a white video card, this is an excellent choice.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on Laptop Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2869-review-on-laptop-lenovo-ideapad-l340-15api https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2869-review-on-laptop-lenovo-ideapad-l340-15api#respond Thu, 03 Jun 2021 06:44:04 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2869 Good day, I present to your attention a laptop Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API, which has the following characteristics:

  • CPU AMD Ryzen 5 3500U with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx (clock speed 2.1 GHz);
  • DDR4 4 GB RAM;
  • 256 GB Micron MTFDDAK256TDL SSD;
  • Laptop screen 15.6 “, matrix type: TN, screen resolution: 1920×1080;
  • Video card Radeon Vega 8 (built-in);
  • Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (802.11ac), RJ-45 (1 Gbps), multiple USB ports.

Front view of the laptop. The laptop looks personable. Made with Lenovo branding.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 1

And here is the rear view. On the left you can see the manufacturer’s logo.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 2

Let’s start with the packaging. The laptop is packed in one cardboard box.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 3

A protective seal against unauthorized opening is glued to the end of the box and a brief instruction on how to open the box with a laptop correctly.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 4

The box consists of two compartments: one contains a laptop with special spacers that protect the laptop from shock during transportation, and the other contains a power supply.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 5

The laptop is packed in a plastic bag.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 6

And here you can see the power supply. The power supply unit is a single unit with a conventional plug.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop Power Adapter

All basic technical information and drivers can be found on the Lenovo official website in the technical support section.

Top view of the laptop. Looks presentable. The color is dark. The surface is not easily soiled, but in some cases, fingerprints still remain, so it is necessary to regularly wipe the surface with a napkin.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 9

Bottom panel view. You can see the vents and information decal (there is a serial number, model name and other information).

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 10

Side view of the laptop. This side contains all the main connectors for connecting external devices and indicators of power / disk operation.

I will list the connectors from left to right:

  • DC Power Jack;
  • RJ-45 for twisted pair connection;
  • HDMI connector – for connecting a monitor, TV, projector, etc.;
  • Two USB 3.1 connectors;
  • Headset connector (combined audio input / output);
  • USB-C connector.

All connectors (except for the card reader) are located on the laptop only on one side.

This laptop model does not have a DVD-ROM reader / writer, so in its place there is a plug in the color of the case.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 11

Top view of the laptop keyboard. The keyboard is very comfortable, the keys are firm and easy to press.

Non-backlit keys. Below are the touchpad and stickers:

  • Processor and graphics system;
  • QR code to go to the support site;
  • Lenovo logo.
Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 12

And here you can see the laptop with the back cover removed. The back cover can be removed quite easily: by unscrewing a few screws, then using a pick. But I do not recommend doing this if you are not professionally engaged in laptop maintenance. You can accidentally damage it to microcircuits or plastic during disassembly / assembly.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop disassemble

The back cover in this case was removed in order to add an additional RAM bar to the laptop. The fact is that only 4 GB of memory was installed in the base configuration. Basic RAM is soldered to the laptop’s motherboard. To work well on Windows 10, it is advisable to have at least 8 MB of RAM.

To find the correct memory module that will fit this laptop model, I had to go to the Lenovo website in the technical support section, where in a separate document all compatible memory modules that are suitable for certain laptop models were listed. Only one additional RAM module can be installed in this laptop model, with a capacity of up to 16 GB. To install additional memory in the laptop in the OnlineTrade online store, a Samsung memory module was chosen, which, according to its characteristics, is completely suitable for this laptop model (memory type DDR4, SO-DIMM, frequency: 2666 MHz, timings: 17-17-17). You can see the selected memory on photo.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop Memory Module

And here is the connector for installing the memory module. You can see the soldered base RAM modules on the motherboard.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 15

And now the memory module is already installed in the slot. The memory is easily installed – it simply snaps onto the springs.

I will say right away that the memory was detected perfectly, there were no problems with its initialization and the operation of the laptop.

A special metal casing is additionally put on the memory installation site.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop image 16

In the photo below, you can see the SSD installed on the laptop.

Lenovo IdeaPad L340-15API Laptop Origunal SSD Micron 256GB

This laptop model comes without a pre-installed operating system. Therefore, the installation of the operating system must be done on your own. Installation is easy enough when booting from a flash drive, no problems arose. When installing the operating system, all the drivers were successfully identified, there was no need to install anything additionally.

The laptop is suitable for general office work, study, home use and basic work with multimedia content.

Taking into account the fact that all the components are selected well, the RAM in the Windows 10 operating system has been increased to work quite comfortably. The impressions are only positive, the laptop copes with all tasks.

In the future, it remains possible to upgrade some of the laptop components: install a larger SSD or replace the current RAM module with a more capacious one. In addition to the laptop, a Lenovo purse and a small wireless mouse were purchased for ease of use.

I can recommend this laptop model for purchase!

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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Review on AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2826-review-on-av-receiver-denon-dra-800h https://tiny-reviews.com/reviews/2826-review-on-av-receiver-denon-dra-800h#respond Thu, 20 May 2021 12:21:47 +0000 https://tiny-reviews.com/?p=2826 In 2019, Denon released the high-quality DRA-800H two-channel receiver with built-in radio tuner and the ability to both wired various external devices and over the network. I bought it from an online store.

AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 1

Network stereo receiver Denon DRA-800H

Why did you decide to buy a Denon device? Because this company is one of the world leaders in the production of Hi-Fi audio equipment, founded in Japan more than 100 years ago, and since 2002 it has been part of the Denon – Marantz concern (also a well-known brand in the world of musical equipment).

Why exactly this device, which looks like a clone of a Denon AV-receiver, but is like a stereo amplifier? To answer this question, you need to ask yourself another question: what is generally needed for a home audio system – an amplifier or a receiver? But the next question immediately arises: what’s the difference?

Briefly and amateurishly: a receiver is also an amplifier, only not a stereo one, but a multichannel one, that is, a more complex device in comparison with a stereo amplifier. For the cinema lover – an AV receiver, for the music lover – a stereo amplifier. But for ordinary consumers who do not have an “extremely vital need” to overpay for multichannel, memorable stereo receivers (integrated amplifiers with a built-in tuner) are intended.

Denon offers such a hybrid, but unlike traditional stereo receivers, this DRA-800H is already a multifunctional device with such additional features as:

  • HDMI ports switcher for connecting up to 5 video-audio sources;
  • Wireless connections via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, proprietary HEOS technology with support for Google Assistant, Siri and Alexa;
  • Traditional digital and analog connections for playing music collections from various players or file storages.
AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 2

The delivery set, in addition to the receiver itself, includes:

  • Remote control with batteries;
  • Power cable;
  • Antenna for FM / DAB + radio;
  • A quick start guide.

The receiver is really with such great functionality that it is impossible to describe all the countless possibilities and nuances of its use in a brief overview – for this, a very convenient and already very detailed Web manual is posted on the Denon website.

I will dwell only on the main technical and interesting, from my point of view, capabilities of this device.

AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 3

Dimensions, texture, colors, general design and slight curvature of the upper part of the front panel of the DRA-800H network receiver are the same as those of the new Denon 800 NE Hi-Fi models (DCD-800NE CD-player, DNP- 800NE and integrated amplifier PMA-800NE), so all these devices look organically in a line (“shelf”). All these devices are also available on OT.

AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 4

There is a display in the center of the panel – a very convenient visual addition to the control system. One and a half dozen indicators clearly show various modes of operation of the device. And directly on the information display, the name of the input source, sound mode, setting values ​​and other information is displayed. It is a pity that the line is limited – only 16 characters, so for the initial settings it is better to connect the receiver to the TV via HDMI and use the remote control to select the option to display information on the TV screen – it is very convenient to set up on a large screen!

If desired, the brightness of the display can be reduced, each time you press the DIMMER button on the remote control, the brightness of the display changes – 3 levels of brightness. Turning off the display completely removes one of the sources of distortion (“noise”) affecting sound clarity, thereby dramatically improving sound reproduction.

And with the help of the remote control ( the SOUND MODE button), you can generally set the sound mode at your discretion: Stereo (allowing regulation of low and high frequencies), Direct, in which audio is reproduced in exact accordance with the original recording (the signal will bypass the tone of the block, so both balance and tone cannot be adjusted), and Pure Direct, where the sound quality is improved compared to Direct mode (video path and display will be disabled).

AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 5

To the left of the display is a massive input source selection knob.

AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 6

On the right is an even larger knob for smooth adjustment of the sound volume.

AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 7

Below the display is a series of discreet rectangular buttons:

– buttons for switching and controlling sound in another room, tuner channels, choosing speakers, changing information on the display;- 4 quick-select buttons for pre-stored audio preferences for four sources such as TV, Blu-ray and CD players, HEOS in-house system.

AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 8

On the lower part of the front panel there are knobs for adjusting high and low frequencies, stereo balance – these functions are inherent in Hi-Fi equipment.

In the lower left corner there is a button for turning on the receiver and a headphone jack (stereo 6.3 mm).

There is a USB port (type A) in the lower right corner of the front panel for playing audio files from an external USB storage device ( “NTFS” or “FAT32” file system ). Supported files are MP3, WMA, and Hi-Res (high definition) formats FLAC, WAV, Apple Lossless and DSD.

AV Receiver Denon DRA-800H, image 9

Access to all the countless functions of the device is carried out using the universal remote control.

But the Denon DRA-800H can be controlled not only with the buttons on the front control panel, or on the remote control, but also by voice – the receiver is programmed to support as many as three personal assistants: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri. And, if you have smart speakers that also use any of these assistants, then you can turn on a track, change the volume, skip to the next track, switch inputs, and more using voice commands, without a remote control or smartphone. And the setting is done using the proprietary Setup Assistant program.

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Denon DRA-800H: rear panel view of connectors and connections (gold plated connectors – HiFi!). On the rear panel, the absence of terminals for multichannel (surround) acoustics is immediately striking.

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Nevertheless, the DRA-800H has 2 sets of speaker terminals (A and B) with connectors for connecting an acoustic wire – either on a screw clamp with a stripped end of the wire, or using “bananas” (but, IMHO, extra connectors only spoil the sound) … There are various options for wiring speaker systems:

  • you can connect one speaker model to terminals A, and another to terminals B, and, switching, play sound either from one pair of speakers or from another, depending on personal preference for sound sources (movies, games, music genre, etc.) etc.) or from the location of the speakers (in different rooms);
  • you can simultaneously turn on and listen to all 4 speakers by changing the impedance settings on the receiver accordingly;
  • you can connect only one pair of speakers to all four terminals, which have additional terminals (bifurcated leads) for this, the so-called bi-wiring connection! With a standard stereo speaker connection (each column into two terminals) the most energy-woofers intercept most of the energy, and mid- and high-frequency speakers – “what’s left.” And when connected by bi-wiring (each speaker with 4 terminals), each of its speakers receives enough power to fully disclose its capabilities.

Moreover, unlike the most common biviring, which uses only 2 terminals (terminals) on the amplifier, Denon DRA-800H offers 4 terminals for this purpose. And yet this is not biamping, since the receiver has only one stereo amplifier (two symmetrical and isolated mono amplifiers), and for biamping you need 2 stereo amplifiers (four mono amplifiers). In the manual for the receiver in Russian, this method is called two-wire connection, and in English, it is directly indicated – bi – wiring .

I connected my acoustic three-way stereo speakers Dynavoice Definition DF-5 (125 W, 92 dB, 8 Ohms) via biviring using Eagle cable high standard (2×2.5mm2).And, again, alas, there is no “room correction” for adjusting the equipment for a particular room.

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There is another possibility of simultaneous playback in two zones of the same signal source – by wired connection of two additional speakers: connect them through your separate amplifier to the Zone 2 output terminals of the Denon DRA-800H preamplifier.

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There is a preamplifier with two outputs for connecting subwoofers – at least two at the same time! The possibility of frequency adjustment and setting of delays is provided, which allows the subwoofer to be matched with stereo speakers better and more accurately than in a conventional triphonic system. It’s Hi-Fi!

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A whole switcher of HDMI inputs – 5 pieces! Few even hi-fi amplifiers can boast such an abundance of ports supporting 4K / 60Hz resolution, the latest HDCP 2.3 protocol, and Dolby Vision, HLG and HDR10 high dynamic range video standards. This allows you to connect to these ports the latest models of satellite receivers, players, game consoles, etc. The inputs are even signed as “CBL / SAT”, “DVD”, “Blu-Ray”, “Game”, “Media Player”, but this is just for convenience, since the inputs are completely equivalent, therefore, the desired device can be connected to any of them.

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One HDMI output labeled “MONITOR” supports Audio Return Channel (ARC) technology. This technology allows using the same HDMI cable to output from the TV (also having an HDMI ARC port ) the audio signal of the sound accompaniment of TV programs to the receiver and listen through the speaker system, and also send the video signal from the devices connected to the receiver back to the TV. This output, like the rest of the HDMI ports , is designed to deliver audio and video in the highest resolution 4K Ultra HD 60Hz and HDR10 dynamic range. I connected my Sony KD-65XG9505 Bravia smart TV via these HDMI ARC connectors with a GCR HDMI 2.1 cable ( 48 Gbps – supports 8 KHDR!).

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One input with built-in MM phono stage for connecting a turntable with MM pickups (Moving Magnet). Denon also knows a lot about this – for almost 50 years it has been developing and producing turntables, cartridges and phono preamps. E If the player will still be equipped with a phono cartridge type MS – you will need to purchase additional reinforcement / combining device.

The receiver terminal (SIGNAL GND) is optionally connected to the corresponding terminal on the player: this can reduce the noise during playback, or, on the contrary, increase, in this case do not connect this wire.

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2 Equivalent RCA Analog Audio Inputs. They are designed to optionally connect devices equipped with analog input connectors (either cable or satellite receiver, TV, or CD player without HDMI port).

I connected my Denon DCD-800NE CD-player exactly through the analog inputs using the QED QE6100 Performance Audio Graphite interconnect cable. This player has a high-quality DAC (PCM1795 from a major analog microcircuit manufacturer, American company Burr-Brown), so after listening to the playback, I decided – let it convert the digital to analog, and then send such a signal directly to the amplifier and then to the speaker system.

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Other standard connections are also available:

  • 2 optical digital audio inputs TOSLink – for optional connection of a TV or CD player (instead of, or which do not have an HDMI port);
  • 1 coaxial digital audio input – for cable or satellite TV;
  • 1 DAB + / FM antenna jack. FM tuner has been a traditional functionality for receivers since ancient times.
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And Denon DRA-800H also offers:

  • digital radio DAB / DAB + (Digital Audio Broadcasting);
  • listening to stations with support for the radio broadcasting service according to the RDS (Radio Data System) standard, with the ability to transmit along with the usual signal of the radio program and text information (station name, track, song artist);
  • Internet radio – it is possible to receive Internet radio stations from all over the world (the Internetradio button on the remote control);- music playback of streaming internet services through the installed support for connecting a free Spotify account, or through the Denon HEOS app (Deezer, Tidal, etc.). Incidentally, this built-in networked remote control and HEOS wireless audio streaming technology allows you to create synchronized BGM playback throughout your entire home in “Multiroom” mode.
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NETWORK connector (RJ-45) – for connecting a LAN cable with a wired LAN router. This will allow the receiver to both play audio content from storages on a computer or home server, and have a stable wired Internet connection via a router / modem. I connected the receiver to my home router using a GCR cable – LAN Ethernet FTP Cat 6 ( 10 Gbps, 250 MHz).

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But the receiver can also be connected to a wireless LAN using two rod antennas and built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 adapters.

Supports advanced dual-band Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n, or the so-called Wi-Fi 4 – with data rates up to 600 Mbps in the 2.4 or 5 GHz bands.

Bluetooth version 4.2 with updated firmware enabling audio streaming to Bluetooth headphones. Range 2 , 4 GHz, connection is possible within a radius of about 30 meters in line of sight – in my apartment a couple of concrete walls easily available.

The supported audio profile A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) and the used codec for signal compression – SBC ( Sub Band Coding) – are reliable, but old-fashioned and do not cause delight, since the “compressed” sound is worse even than ordinary MP3 files. Alas, advanced music lover codecs LDAC, AptX or at least AAC are not supported on this receiver.

But the Denon DRA-800H receiver is compatible with AirPlay 2. This technology, developed by Apple, works over Wi-Fi and transmits a sound stream without compression (!!!) – the quality depends on the source itself. Supports Lossless formats : DSD, FLAC, HD 192/24, ALAC 96/24, WAV 192/24 and video. AirPlay 2 allows you to broadcast music to more than one compatible device, that is, it is possible to organize a wireless multi-room system. Yes, and watch YouTube!

Of course, the sound is much better than on bluetooth, but still worse for my taste (hearing) than when playing from a USB drive or via a wired (LAN) connection to a “storage”.

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Remote Control IR connector – An optional infrared receiver can be connected if the receiver is installed in a location where remote control signals cannot reach. Or you can even integrate the receiver into the “Smart Home” system – connect infrared receivers / transmitters to control the receiver and all external devices from another room (or in another room – ZONE 2) from one remote control (or even a smartphone!).

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Connector for a detachable network cable, another evidence of HiFi models.

For the pros, some additional data from the Denon DRA-800H datasheet:

  • Wireless Protocols: HEOS, WiFi, Audio Streaming (AirPlay, AirPlay 2, Windows Play To), A2DP Bluetooth AptX;
  • Bluetooth: version 4.1.
  • Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11a / b / g / n, 2.4 / 5 GHz.
  • Supported formats: MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, DSD2.8 / 5.6;
  • Video signal support : 4K Ultra HD / 60 Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision and HLG;
  • HDMI support : 4K / 60 Hz, HDCP 2.3, ARC, CEC;
  • Frequency range 20 – 20,000 Hz;
  • 32-bit DAC AKM AK4458;
  • Speaker Impedance: A or B: 4-16 ohms; A + B: 8-16 ohms;
  • Signal to noise ratio: 98 dB;
  • Output power: 2 x 100 W (8 ohms, 0.08%);
  • Power consumption: 220 W;
  • Dimensions: 434 x 151 x 339 mm;
  • Weight: 8.6 kg.
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In summary, the Denon DRA-800H is an inexpensive yet superbly packaged multi-functional hi-fi device that combines a quality stereo amplifier, network player and phono stage to connect a turntable. HDMI ports let you connect to today’s high-end smart TVs and a variety of other external devices, while built-in WiFi, AirPlay and Bluetooth adapters make the choice of music sources inexhaustible.

The article is written on the basis of materials of this site.

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