What better equipment to review this latest gaming monitor with but one of the very latest gaming PCs from Acer – reviewed 21-06-23. This AOC gaming unit is a 24inch flat panel that has outputs for both Display Port and HDMI.

896121 ACER Predator Orion 700Acer Orion 7000

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 21 June 2023
This is a very powerful and also large tower system. This tends to buck the trend of making things smaller and smaller. It is also quite heavy so will need a strong table or desk. It was sent to me as just the unit with just the mains lead.
This set is a little different, it can be Wireless or Bluetooth and does not need any batteries, it can be connected to up to three devices, the mouse is small and the keyboard even smaller. While the alpha and numeric keys are full size the other keys are small and the top row and function are on a rotation basis so don't lose the User Guide or you will be scratching your head for a while.
Most of us take a keyboard or a mouse for grantage they are just there and we use them. Often they are Wi-Fi sometimes they are corded and just occasionally Bluetooth. These from JLAB are all three. The mouse has an added plus in that you get a three month trial of TIDAL probably the best widely available streaming service.

896040 HP Pavilion All in One PC 32 b0101nHP All In One

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 19 Apr 2023
All in One is something that normally relates to a printer-scanner-copier and possibly even fax unit. Here however it relates to a screen that also has a computer built into it, the only extras you need are keyboard and mouse and here even they are included.

896029 HP 960 4K Streaming WebcaHP 4K Webcam

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 29 Mar 2023
Some screens come without a webcam but there are times when one is required and indeed these may require better resolution so a 4K webcam has its place, this offering from HP is quite chunky and because of the higher resolution it needs to be connected via USB3.
Video files are often very big, and while they can of course be moved around by Wi-Fi it is often easier to have them on removable storage, a USB drive is still quite large but these days a USB stick can be very small even to being able to attach onto a keyring. If you do then it’s important as in this case that it is made of metal as keys can damage plastic.
A 16inch notebook that does not weigh that much, it also does not feel that much larger when you move around with it. Unlike a lot of such devices I get to review this one has an AMD processor, this one runs at 2.7GHz. It has 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
It looks a lot like any normal Tablet but has software that helps those who are slowing down due to age or other reasons. With the aid of a £50 keyboard/book cover – purchased at time of sale – it can be turned into a Notebook so you can still type normally and the magic does not end there as the Tablet is exactly 10.1inches and for that reason Microsoft Word, Excel and Power Point are all free to use forever.
This latest Keyboard and Mouse set from Trust is said to be their quietest. So if you are someone who the tiny noise of a keyboard clicking disturbs you then this could well be who this set is aimed at. I can understand if one person is typing in an otherwise quiet room that the keyboard can sound loud or indeed if someone is typing while others are watching TV or listening to music.

895788 Acer Swift 5 SF514 55T 14 inch LaptoAcer Swift 5

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 14 Dec 2022
This latest offering from Acer is the Swift 5 a small and light notebook that has Windows 11. Just because it is small does not mean it is not powerful. There are a range of models with different processors, sizes of SSD drives and memory.

895765 Trust Gaming GXT 981 Redex Lightweight Gaming MousRedex & AGON Mice

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 28 Nov 2022
I know people who love using a Notebook but hate using its Trackpad. So here are two USB wired mice that could well help then both for work and play as both these offerings have more than the standard two buttons and a scroll wheel.
A more unusual offering from Trust a USB microphone. Perhaps the most interesting part is the fittings it is supplied with.
This is a 27inch QHD panel 2560x1440 although it is equally usable at HD 1920x1080 for those whose eyesight is not the best. A gaming panel with reasonable sound so you should be able to hear the enemies coming as well as see them. It is available from the link at the end at a very good price so what is the reason, read on to find its one drawback.

895696 GETAC ZX1Getac ZX10

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 14 Nov 2022
Getac do a range of ‘Rugged’ units useful for those who work outside and when you first start you will see a choice of three options for using this touch screen offering, Glove – Finger – Stylus. This unit runs Android but these days Android has access to a whole lot more Apps than earlier versions. So this Tablet is designed to work where others would not. I am told this model is used for British Touring Car Championships for the Race Operations Team.
Those of us who use a Desktop or Tower system still need a keyboard and a mouse. I have always used wired offerings, these days you are less likely to have special ports instead having connections via USB. So when I got the opportunity to test a set of keyboard and mouse from Trust my own offering was disconnected and the Trust items connected.

895671 AOC Gaming U28G2XU2 28 UHD MonitoAOC 28inch Flat Panel

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 19 Oct 2022
This is a 28inch flat panel that has a fast 1ms response time and is equally at home at 3840x2160 or at 1920x1080 The first to suit a gamer the second for someone needing just a little more assistance at the standard resolution due to less than perfect eye sight. Unlike most flat panels this has speakers that are as good as standalone speakers as they are a pair of 3w offerings.

895661 Acer 515 ChromebooAcer Chromebook 515

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 12 Oct 2022
If your main uses of a PC are for emails, browsing the web and word processing or spreadsheets then a Chromebook can be cheaper and even a more secure form of connection to the outside world as Chromebooks are both automatically updated in the background and have Anti-Virus protection built in so you can remain in a safer environment.

895650 Twelve South Curve FleLaptop Riser

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by mfereday on 4 Oct 2022
Adjusting the working height of a laptop has never been easier with the aid of this next product.

895560 Acer Aspire Vero AV15 51 15.6 inch LaptoAcer Aspire Vero

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 14 Sep 2022
At last a company starts to do something about sustainability as the case on this unit is made from recycled plastic, it has a slightly rough feel no doubt not essential but to make you feel you are doing your bit. This latest offering in the Aspire range is called Vero. The strap line comes up on bootup ‘Vero for Planel Earth’. What does this latest offering from Acer have to offer both for sustainability and also for value for money in these testing times?
This is a 27inch UHD multi view flat panel from Philips. Up to 144Hz refresh rate is possible and all in a small footprint. It has a good amount of rear tilt and a little forward movement so ideal for those who play games or even for business users. It has decent speakers for those needing to present and as with most recent panels a wide viewing angle.

895476 Acer Aspire XC 166Acer Aspire XC-1660

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 20 Jul 2022
I still get requests to review Desktop systems and this latest offering from Acer is much smaller than most, in fact not only smaller but also a great deal lighter. In fact I placed it on top of my own normal sized Desktop system and this amplifies the smallness. It also comes with small cordless Keyboard and mouse that take just one USB port to connect both.
This is a large curved flat panel that can easily support three HD screens side by side however for those into gaming you get far more detail. The resolution is right for recent cinema releases and I was able to watch the latest James Bond offering full screen with absolutely no borders - 21:9 aspect ratio - from the comfort of my living room with excellent sound. This is a curved panel and the centre is 4cm in from the edges.
So many people moan about Windows continual upgrades, with a Chromebook they still occur but in the background. So do you really need Windows, the answer lies in what do you use your PC for, if you use Windows programs then the answer is yes. However if you use it for Browsing, sending and receiving emails writing books or using spreadsheets possibly not as a Chromebook can do all that and now it even supports the Google Play store.

895251 HP Pavilion x36Pavillion News

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by mfereday on 2 June 2022
With Lockdowns possible over, it might be the time to take a look at improving your computer experience.
A while ago I told you about a new small portable projector from Acer whose internal battery had enough power to show a couple of videos back to back. Here I get to try a full size offering from Optoma one of the leaders in projector technology. This is a unit that connect from a whole range of units and that includes your Wi-Fi. It is equally at home in less than HD, HD or 4K.
Having recently told you about a Samsung Chromebook that comes with the latest version of Wimdows here is their Chromebook offering that was released at the same time. So here you get a Chromebook that can also allow you to get mobile data to keep you in contact while out of the office and as it has its own SIM so no nicking mobile data from your phone.

895111 Acer TravelMate P4 TMP414 5Acer TravelMate P4

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 25 Apr 2022
This is a powerful Notebook from Acer that is very fast and while not a featherweight at 1.41 kilos it is very solid so should stand the odd knock or three. It still has the ability to be used in an office environment as it has Ethernet and a full sized HDMI port. So what else does this latest offering have to temp the user to dig into their wallet.
For a gamer one of the most important factors is a fast refresh rate, it is literally the difference between gaming life and death. Here not only do you get fast refresh but also the things that will matter later on in life to keep your eyes healthy, no flicker and low blue light among other things. So what else does this 27inch flat panel have to offer?

895023 philips monitor 243S1 usb Philips S Line 243S1

Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple by paul_smart on 16 Mar 2022
A 24inch Philips flat panel that has all the normal connections including those less normal like USB ‘C’, Ethernet and a USB hub. So this means for those of us still using Desktop or Tower Systems the main unit could be just that bit further away and the nirvana or a clear desktop just that little bit nearer.