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ASUS KGPE-D16 SSI EEB Server Motherboard Dual Socket G34 AMD SR5690 DDR3 1600/1333/1066/800
  • Verified Owner
  • Owned For: 1 month to 1 year

Pros: I never got it to work so I can't list any Pros. I've read many positive reviews on it so I'm sure if you can get it to work then it's every bit as good as the other people claim. Unfortunately I never could get mine to work. I sent it back several times with the same result. I doubt ASUS ever actually did anything other than waste my time with the process and drag it out so long that I could no longer return the board for a refund.

I am not a "beginner". I have nearly 20 years of experience in the IT field from desktops to servers and currently am a datacenter administrator, but I always put "Average" on tech knowledge because I'm not an engineer... I don't think that building a lot of computers necessarily makes one an expert but I know my way around the inside of a computer case is what I'm trying to convey here...

Cons: I can't list any specific cons other than I never got mine to work as in get passed POST. No screen, no beeps, no nothing. The PSU wouldn't even power up all the way when I hit the power button. I tried several known good PSUs too (even bought a couple based on what others claim to have used), all with the same result.

I could go on at length to describe the multitude of troubleshooting steps I took and different parts I tried in the system to resolve this but I'll just say that I tried REALLY hard to make this work... Much harder than ASUS did to help me out.

As others have said ASUS tech support is really unhelpful with this board. I tried having a conversation a couple times with them but they are clueless, the only information they have on it is what's listed on their web site. Forget trying to have a "technical" conversation with anyone as it seems their only real function is to issue RMA#s and say essentially "Did you try turning it off and on?" or, "Sorry 'bout that.".

Other Thoughts: The last time I got my board back from ASUS and it failed to work I was so disgusted I put it back in the box and it now sits in my garage as a very expensive doorstop as it was passed the point I could get a refund. It's unfortunate and I tried really hard to make this work but there comes a point when my time is just worth more than the cost of the hardware.

If you do decide to buy one of these then I'd highly suggest making sure you have all the parts for your project on hand in advance so you can fire up the board immediately upon arrival to make sure the board is going to work. Don't waste any time. If it works on the first try I'm reasonably sure it will be good from then on. If it doesn't work do not delay in getting a replacement or refund...

HP ProBook 3115m B2C43UT 11.6
  • Verified Owner
  • Owned For: more than 1 year

5 out of 5 eggs Great Little Notebook 04/01/2013

This review is from: HP ProBook 3115m B2C43UT 11.6" LED Notebook E-450 1.65GHz

Pros: -Small/Light weight.
-Bright screen.
-Radeon Graphics (Not that "Intel HD" garbage that pervades notebooks these days)
-Good battery life.
-Will run Win7 x64 Ultimate.
-Built in SD Card reader.
-Touch pad can be turned off.

Cons: -While it is small, I feel the power adapter could be slimmer.
-Great for web surfing and movie watching but it doesn't take much to bring the system to it's knees, especially in the graphics department. It does have a real graphics chip in there that is a little better than your average Intel HD chip but it's not by much.

Other Thoughts: It's a shame this unit is discontinued, but if you can find one and are looking for something in this size range I'd definitely recommend it.

For what it is, it's a nice 11.6" laptop. It fits my needs perfectly. I maxed out the memory and slapped an SSD drive in it and it clips along quite nicely. It's also great on battery.

I would like to point out one item that may not be obvious: This notebook is technically a BUSINESS class notebook (Hence "ProBook") and thus the support works a little bit differently. In short: They don't mess around. If you have a problem and can identify the cause and communicate it effectively to the rep on the other end you can have a part on your doorstep tomorrow no questions asked.

I'm always amused when I read negative reviews of notebook support when dealing with CONSUMER class models... Well of course the support is questionable at best. Sure the extra price on those business models turned you off and made you go the cheaper route... But you'll pay for it anyway eventually... One way or another. ;)

Cooler Master Blade Master 80 - Sleeve Bearing 80mm PWM Cooling Fan for Computer Cases and CPU Coolers
  • Verified Owner
  • Owned For: more than 1 year

Pros: -PWM.
-Good air flow.

Cons: -Does get loud at max RPM.
-Not as cheap as I feel it should be.

Other Thoughts: "Long life sleeve"... Long life compared to what? A Mayfly?

I bought 2 of these for a small server and a year later they're already rattling around.

Obviously YMMV based on your usage. I've been running them near continuously for the past year so that may factor heavily but I didn't expect them to fail this soon. CoolerMaster generally makes quality product so it's a bit disappointing...

I have 4 CoolerMaster ball bearing 80mms that I use as a heat exhaust system for a cabinet that have run nearly non-stop for the better part of the last 6 years and they run as silent and smooth as the day I installed them... Heck they are so old that the CM stickers have fallen off the hubs! Granted they are much lower RPM/CFM but it speaks to the general quality of CM's fans.


Fred L.'s Profile

Display Name: Fred L.

Date Joined: 11/25/01

  • Reviews: 22
  • Helpfulness: 16
  • First Review: 12/06/10
  • Last Review: 09/25/13
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