15 May 201816 May 2018Featured AnnouncementsBy Olin Coles

AudioCheck Tone Tests

Benchmark Reviews has used resources from audiocheck.net to experience the technical limits of headphones and speaker samples we receive for testing. In addition to their pre-compiled test files, AudioCheck also offers user-built custom files for download. We have assembled some test signals on this page for comparison: BROWSER NOTICE: Many modern web browsers will pre-fetch portions of these audio files. For best results, pause a clip shortly after it begins, and then press play. Genuine tones will play after pause is resumed. Low Frequency Tones 5Hz-6Hz (10 Seconds) 6Hz-7Hz (10 Seconds) 7Hz-8Hz (10 Seconds) 8Hz-9Hz (10 Seconds) 9Hz-10Hz (10 Seconds) 10Hz-11Hz (10 Seconds) 11Hz-12Hz (10 Seconds) 12Hz-13Hz (10 Seconds) 13Hz-14Hz (10 Seconds) 14Hz-15Hz (10 Seconds) 15Hz-16Hz (10 Seconds) 16Hz-17Hz (10 […]

11 May 2018PeripheralsBy Olin Coles

CHERRY MX BOARD 5.0 Mechanical Keyboard Review

Choosing the right peripheral components is critical to demanding PC users. The mouse and keyboard work like natural extensions of the body, and so their selection becomes a personal choice. Keyboards are used for both everyday workload as well as entertainment, so picking the right one is very important. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the Cherry MX Board 5.0 corded mechanical keyboard with German-made Gold Crosspoint contact technology precision Cherry MX Red linear switches, double-shot keys, and customizable white LED backlighting.

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1 April 201820 June 2018StorageBy Olin Coles

HP SSD EX920 M.2 Solid State Drive Review

In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the 1TB HP SSD EX920 M.2 (model 2YY47AA#ABC) against a host of other PCI-Express 3.1 NVME solid state drive competitors. HP suggests sustained sequential read speeds up to 3200 MB/s, and sustained sequential writes up to 1800 MB/s from their 1TB EX920 SSD, which utilizes 64-layer 3D NAND to deliver impressive storage density and reliability. Relative to solid state storage, one terabyte is an enormous amount of near-instant drive capacity. We’ll see if HP’s EX920 M.2 SSD is worth the money.

14 February 20187 July 2018StorageBy Olin Coles

Samsung SSD 860 PRO Solid State Drive Review

Planar NAND allowed manufacturers to offer speedy solid state storage at fair price, while Samsung’s recently announced 860 EVO SSD improved upon this with their latest 3-bit MLC V-NAND flash technology. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the 512GB Samsung SSD 860 PRO, which utilizes 64-cell layer 2-bit MLC V-NAND for high endurance and improved sequential performance to produce up to 560 MB/s reads at 100,000 IOPS and 530 MB/s writes at 90,000 IOPS, and compare SATA 6 GB/s performance against the all the leading competition.

7 February 201814 February 2018StorageBy Olin Coles

Samsung SSD 860 EVO Solid State Drive Review

Samsung recently announced their latest 3-bit MLC V-NAND flash technology, which they’ve baked into their new SSD 860 EVO solid state drive series. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the 500GB Samsung SSD 860 EVO, which pairs their 64-cell layer V-NAND and 512MB LPDDR4 DRAM cache buffer with their new MJX controller to produce up to 550 MB/s reads at 98,000 IOPS and 520 MB/s writes at 90,000 IOPS, and compare SATA 6 GB/s performance against the all the leading competition.

31 January 201814 February 2018Manufacturer NewsBy Olin Coles

Gamdias Hermes P2 RGB Keyboard Giveaway

Gamdias has offered Benchmark Reviews the opportunity to give some lucky visitor a brand new Gamdias Hermes P2 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. Want to win? All you’ll need to do is comment below and tell us what video game you’ll use it with, and we’ll select a winner at random on February 14th.

20 January 201822 January 2018Disc PlayersBy Olin Coles

Samsung UBD-M9500 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Player Review

Quality is everything when it comes to enjoying audio video multimedia. Cutting edge technology is always improving the user experience by developing a better picture with more stunning colors, and immersive surround sound. Most recently, we’ve seen these features demonstrated in 4K UHD displays with HDR color enhancement, and advanced 7.1 home theater speaker systems. While 4K streaming content is slowing coming online, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray movies are already offering the best possible source for ultra high-definition content with high dynamic range. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the Samsung UBD-M9500 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player.

28 December 201710 June 2023CamerasBy Olin Coles

PAPAGO GoSafe S30 Dash Cam Review

By Olin Coles Manufacturer: PAPAGO, Inc. Product Name: GoSafe S30 Dash Cam Part Number: GSS308G UPC: 840494180013 Price As Tested: $179.99 (Amazon | Newegg) Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Papago. The roads are trafficked with bad drivers, which is why in-vehicle cameras have become a necessity. The streets are a dangerous place for motorists, with heavy traffic congestion and driver distractions adding risk to everything from long trips to short commutes. Defensive driving will help prevent some accidents, but each moment spent in a vehicle is wrought with random chance and uncertainty. It’s never been a question of if you’ll someday be involved in an traffic accident or the victim or violent […]

VIZIO SmartCast M50-E1 UHD Display Angle Left

11 December 201717 January 2018DisplaysBy Olin Coles

VIZIO SmartCast M65-E0 4K UHD HDR Display Review

Not all that long ago, high definition 1080p image resolution was heralded as the biggest entertainment improvement since the DVD. Technology continued to tick ahead and, before Blu-ray ever truly became a household standard, ultra high-definition 4K (2160p) displays arrived on scene, and later High Dynamic Range. With Ultra HD Blu-ray and streaming video content now offered in Ultra HD, it makes sense to upgrade. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the 65″ VIZIO SmartCast M65-E0 UHD HDR home theater display with Google Chromecast built-in.

30 November 201714 December 2017Manufacturer NewsBy Olin Coles

REEVEN OKEANOS RC-1402 CPU Cooler Giveaway

Reeven has offered Benchmark Reviews the opportunity to give some lucky visitor a brand new OKEANOS RC-1402 CPU Cooler. Want to win? All you’ll need to do is comment below with the CPU and motherboard you’ll be using it on, and we’ll select a winner at random on December 14th. Drawing open to US shipping addresses only. Visit REEVEN for the full list of features and specifications for OKEANOS: https://www.reeven.com/okeanos-rc-1402 WINNER DRAWN. CONTEST IS CLOSED.

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30 November 201717 January 2018StorageBy Olin Coles

HP SSD M700 Solid State Drive Review

The HP SSD M700 is an entry-level solid state drive, with up to 560 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write speeds from the 240GB SSD M700 model, which utilizes 2D Planar NAND technology to deliver solid reliability. Adding to its appeal is the cost of solid state drive technology, which has doubled its storage capacity per dollar from just one year ago. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the HP SSD M700 (model 3DV74AA#ABC) against the competition.

VIZIO SmartCast M50-E1 UHD Display Front

17 November 201717 January 2018DisplaysBy Olin Coles

VIZIO SmartCast M50-E1 4K UHD HDR Display Review

Not all that long ago, high definition 1080p image resolution was heralded as the biggest entertainment improvement since the DVD. Technology continued to tick ahead and, before Blu-ray ever truly became a household standard, ultra high-definition 4K (2160p) displays arrived on scene, and later High Dynamic Range. With Ultra HD Blu-ray and streaming video content now offered in Ultra HD, it makes sense to upgrade. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the 50″ VIZIO SmartCast M50-E1 UHD HDR home theater display with Google Chromecast built-in.

ESCAM QF220 WiFi Doorbell IP Camera Front Angle

29 October 201717 January 2018ReviewsBy Olin Coles

ESCAM QF220 WiFi Doorbell IP Camera Review

Hundreds of dollars in electronics and appliances were taken off our doorstep, and we hadn’t taken precautions to prevent the crime or alert ourselves to criminal presence. Our home alarm system alerts us to intruders inside the residence, but cameras weren’t in a position to detect somebody at the doorstep. Apparently this scenario is all too common: protection on the inside, but nothing on the outside. I decided to remedy this weakness by adding a wireless doorbell camera. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the ESCAM QF220 WiFi doorbell IP camera.

24 August 201717 January 2018Computer GamesBy Olin Coles

Distrust Survival Game Review

It was supposed to be a rescue mission, but an explosion caused the chopper to crash-land near an abandoned Artic base, akin to John Carpenter’s classic The Thing. Although only one other team member has survived the wreck, you’re hardly alone. Fall asleep, and you might not wake up. Stay awake long enough, and you’ll experience a dream state of distorted reality. This is a survival game, and almost everything is against you… especially the odds. In this article for Benchmark Reviews we play DISTRUST, built on the Unity 3D game engine.

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18 August 20177 February 2018StorageBy Olin Coles

HP SSD S700 PRO 1TB Solid State Drive Review

Relative to solid state storage, one terabyte is an enormous amount of near-instant drive space. Adding to its appeal is the cost of solid state technology, which has doubled its storage capacity per dollar from just one year ago. HP suggests top speeds up to 570 MB/s for reads and 525 MB/s writes from their 1TB SSD S700 PRO, which utilizes 3D NAND to deliver impressive storage density and reliability. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the 1TB HP SSD S700 PRO (2.5″ SATA model 2LU81AA#ABL) against other solid state drive competition.

19 July 201719 July 2017StorageBy Olin Coles

HP SSD S700 PRO Solid State Drive Review

HP suggests top speeds up to 565 MB/s for reads and 520 MB/s writes from SSD S700 PRO, which utilizes 3D NAND to deliver impressive storage density and reliability. Adding to its appeal is the cost of solid state technology, which has doubled its storage capacity per dollar from just one year ago. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the HP SSD S700 PRO (SATA 2.5″ 512GB model 2AP99AA#ABL) against other solid state drive competition.

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29 June 201729 June 2017StorageBy Olin Coles

HP SSD S700 Solid State Drive Review

HP promises 560 MB/s read and 515 MB/s write speeds from SSD S700, which utilizing 3D NAND technology to deliver impressive storage density and reliability. Adding to its appeal is the cost of solid state drive technology, which has doubled its storage capacity per dollar from just one year ago. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the HP SSD S700 (2.5″ 500GB model 2DP99AA#ABC) against other solid state drive competition.

30 May 2017ReviewsBy Olin Coles

LifeTrak Zoom HRV Wearable Body Computer Review

Fitness trackers all seem to have similar features; pedometer, calories burned, heart monitor, sleep tracker, watch, etc. They’re great for helping to track the daily habits of an average person or someone beginning a fitness or health regimen. However, most fitness trackers are just too basic for a serious athlete or someone interested in their overall fitness condition. That’s where the LifeTrak Zoom HRV (model number LTK7M002) comes into play. The LifeTrack Zoom HRV will continuously measure heart rate and heart rate variability which helps a true athlete know when to train and how hard to push. It’s the perfect multi-sport fitness tracker and an extremely thorough heart rate monitor.

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11 April 201728 October 2017ReviewsBy Olin Coles

COUGAR Armor Gaming Chair Review

When Champ Chairs offered us a chance to test the COUGAR Armor gaming chair, I couldn’t say no. Literally, my body wouldn’t allow it. COUGAR is well known to gamers for their keyboard and mouse peripherals, but they also rock my favorite color on their products: orange. It looks great (to me), but how does it feel after extended gaming?

28 February 2017StorageBy Olin Coles

ADATA SU800 SSD Ultimate Review

The ADATA SU800 SSD is a 2.5″ solid state drive for the ever-popular SATA 6Gb/s interface found on mainstream desktop and notebook PCs. ADATA promises 560 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write speeds with their new 3D NAND technology, allowing Ultimate SU800 to deliver higher storage density and reliability than ever before. SU800 also features intelligent SLC caching, a DRAM cache buffer to boost transfer performance, and Low-Density Parity Check ECC. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the 512GB ADATA SSD Ultimate SU800 against the competition.

11 October 201622 November 2016ReviewsBy Olin Coles

ARCHEER QC 2.0 Car Charger USB Adapter Review

Practically every vehicle has a 12V cigarette lighter receptacle, but most lack sufficient USB power outlets. That’s where Archeer car chargers come in, utilizing Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology on adapters with as many as three USB ports and power output up to 5 volts/3.0 amps. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test a pair of Archeer QC 2.0 chargers for fast-charge functionality while on a week-long road trip.

9 September 201622 November 2016CoolingBy Olin Coles

MasterLiquid Pro 240 Cooler Review

Cooler Master recently announced their new MasterLiquid series of all-in-one liquid CPU coolers, built using a special “FlowOp” technology that analyzes how heat is absorbed and dissipated to construct a better cooling solution than the competition. The end result was a dual chamber design that improved the cooling performance, but also dramatically extended the product’s functional lifetime. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Pro 240 CPU cooler (MLY-D24M-A20MB-R1) to see how well it performs.

Easy Roller Legendary Copper Metal Polyhedral Dice

8 June 201622 November 2016ReviewsBy Olin Coles

Easy Roller Polyhedral Gaming Dice Review

In this article for Benchmark Reviews, I will test several table gaming products by Easy Roller Dice Company: Legendary Copper Metal 7-Piece Dice Set, Yellow Opaque 10-Piece Polyhedral Dice Set, Wyvern Reversible Microfiber Self-Standing Large Dice Bag, and their Red Velvet Lined Octagon Shaped Dice Rolling Tray.

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10 May 201622 November 2016Computer Hardware SpotlightBy Olin Coles

Cooler Master MasterCase Maker 5 Preview

Do you like to tinker and build? Of course you do, and Cooler Master knows this. For over twenty years they’ve supplied PC enthusiasts with the tools and hardware to tweak and modify their otherwise boring computer systems. In this spotlight preview article for Benchmark Reviews we’ll sneak a peek at Cooler Master’s latest creation: MasterCase Maker 5 tower computer enclosure (MCZ-005M-KWN00), checking form and functionality.

19 April 201622 November 2016Computer Hardware SpotlightBy Olin Coles

Cooler Master MasterLiquid Pro 240 Preview

Cooler Master has just announced their new MasterLiquid series of CPU coolers, built using a special “FlowOp” technology that analyzes how heat is absorbed and dissipated to construct a better cooling solution than the competition. The end result was a dual chamber design that did both improve the cooling performance, but also dramatically extended the product’s functional lifetime. In this preview article, Benchmark Reviews covers some of the finer points that separate the MasterLiquid cooler series from everything else on the market.