Speaking of gaming rigs, and especially gaming laptops, the main thing you must understand is that they don’t come cheap. The price of high-end components skyrocketed, especially graphic cards, hence this laptop will put a big dent in your bank account, as it retails for more than $1500.

However, it must be noted that the Predator Helios boasts impressive hardware under the hood, things like a 10th gen Intel 6-Core i7-10750H CPU, a GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GPU, 16GB of RAM/512 GB SSD, and even a gaming-centric FHD IPS 144Hz display.

What does it mean? Well, to put it simply, the Acer Predator Helios 300 is not only an excellent gaming rig, but it can also be used for productive (as in money making) purposes, like video editing and graphic design, which makes it the best of both worlds.

So, you can spend a ton of money on this toy under the pretense that, at some point, you’ll start making money with it. This is a cool argument to use if it is your parents sponsoring your shopping endeavors.

Before proceeding with the review, always remember to take proper care of your gaming laptop if you want to prolong its life, and to do so, we would recommend you to read this article carefully.

What it is

Acer managed to insert firmly into the “best bang for the buck” market niche due to its reasonably priced products. The Predator Helios is a true-blue gaming laptop, which offers an interesting mélange of muscle, storage potential and screen speed for all your gaming needs.

It’s also true that buying a high end gaming laptop is more expensive this year than it was in 2020, and that’s due to cryptocurrency miners who are buying GPUs like there’s no tomorrow, hence the relatively steep price of this Acer machine, which costs $200 more compared to last year’s model.

The main difference between the Predator Helios 300 of last year and the current one is the Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 30 Series “Ampere” graphics. Truth be told, this GPU is much better as it dramatically improves gaming performance, and that’s why this laptop won a lot of awards this year.

Serious Gaming Laptop

The Acer Predator Helios 300 looks and feels like a gaming beast, due to its all-black chassis, aggressive rear-cooling vents and, most importantly, its red/turquoise (is that a color?) backlit Predator logo staring at you on the lid.

However, the design of the Predator is rather mainstream than radical, at least compared to Alienware stuff, which means it could be safely taken at work without raising eyebrows. Basically, the Acer is designed for a more mature vibe in order to appeal to a mass audience, and that’s a big plus in our book.

The Predator Helios 300 is average in size for a 15.6 gaming laptop, as it measures 0.9’’ by 14.3’’ by 10’’ (HWD), and weighs 4.85 pounds, which is respectable yet acceptable for its screen real estate. Always remember kids: heavy is good, heavy is reliable; and by the way, the Alienware R4 weighs more, 5.3 pounds respectively.

In terms of build quality, the Helios 300 boasts a partial aluminum design, but we would’ve loved a full-aluminum style, just like similarly priced rivals. Aluminum is great for dissipating heat, and also lasts forever compared to plastic, but that’s how life is.

To be more precise, the Helios 300 uses aluminum for the palm rest, the lid and keyboard deck, which means it’s not impressive in terms of build quality, but it’s decent. The chassis has good torsional rigidity, with minimal flex (the same goes for the lid), and speaking of the lid, you can open it with one hand.

Display

Display quality is a deal-breaker in a gaming/productivity laptop, but the Helios 300 really shines in terms of image quality. Everything looks great on the high-refresh-rate 144 Hz FPS screen, and the laptop can easily reach triple digit frame rates in Esport games.

The FPS panel has wide viewing angles, ample brightness, an anti-glare coating and it’s rated at covering 100 percent of the RGB color space, for vibrant visuals and silky smooth pictures.

Keyboard

Since the word of the day is colorful diversity, the same goes for the true RGB keyboard, with 4-zone RGB. You can use Acer’s PredatorSense application to control the RGB thing for each zone, and there’s even a dedicated physical button on the number pad that starts the app.

It’s true that you don’t have per-key backlighting customization, which is available on more costly gaming rigs, but the endless colors on four zones should be more than enough for the average gamer. The app also allows you to save profiles.

The keyboard is gaming-focused, with a long enough throw, and a thicker border on the arrow key clusters as well as on the WASD, which makes them appear brighter. However, the typing experience is not the best out there, or, to put it differently, it’s not great, not terrible.

Touchpad

Acer chose a smooth surface buttonless touchpad for the Helios 300, which makes it very easy to use and very precise due to its stiff physical key action that obliterates accidental presses. If you want to use an external mouse, like real gamers do, you can disable the touchpad easily by pressing Fn + F7.

Connectivity

The 10th gen Comet Lake CPU does not support Thunderbolt 4, yet the laptop offers a more than adequate port selection, including 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports@5 Gbps on the left side, a Killer E2600 2.5Gbps Ethernet jack, and an audio combo jack.

You also get a Killer AX1650i wireless card, which supports Killer DoubleShot Pro, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. Basically, the laptop can prioritize game traffic over Ethernet, while the Wi-Fi can be used for anything else.

The right edge harbors USB Type-A and Type-C ports of the 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) variety, and you can charge devices on these babies even when the laptop is shut down. Acer also provided HDMI 2.0b and mini DisplayPort 1.4 video outputs, which is nice.

Performance

Gaming performance is on par with what’s expected from what’s under the hood, but the Helios 300 features built-in GPU overclocking via a Turbo button, even if the laptop gets noticeably louder in Turbo mode.

Speaking of which, the Turbo augmentation will provide an 8 to 10 percent jump in performance, and that’s not bad. The battery will last 7 and a half hours, which makes the laptop more than practical for traveling.

Miscellaneous stuff

There are no biometric features in the Helios 300, the likes of face recognition or fingerprint reader. The 720p webcam is of average quality and lacks a privacy shutter, but you can always use a piece of duct tape if you want to prevent Mark Zuckerberg from spying you while watching Anime.

Joke aside, this is not a business laptop, hence it’s kind of normal for Acer to not obsess over security features, in order to keep the price down. As in, we don’t hold the lack of security features against them.

On the bright side, the laptop has good-sounding speakers, and the two heavy-duty fans we told you about do a great job with keeping the laptop cool during extended gaming sessions. The best thing about the cooling design is that it keeps the noise down, as Acer did a bang-up job with minimizing motor and fan whine noises.

You can also control fan behavior from the PredatorSense app, which is kind of cool. Another thing worth mentioning is that end users can easily upgrade the Helios 300, as the laptop provides quick access to its 2x M.2 SSD slots (one occupied from the factory) and the 2.5-inch drive bay.

The RAM is also easy to upgrade, as the system accepts up to 2x 32 GB modules (it comes loaded with 2×8 GB from the factory). This trick is impossible in soldered RAM laptop models.

Bottom line

The 2021 version of the venerable Acer Predator Helios 300 offers solid performance and a smooth 144 Hz display, good port selection and a cool overclocking button, which makes it stand out against its similarly priced rivals. If you can get over the partial metal design and the lack of security features, you’ll end up with a great deal.

Even if it may be hard to believe given its size, this is basically a desktop replacement that can be carried anywhere, i.e. if you can live with the price tag, which is ample, you’ll end up with a fantastic laptop powered by Intel’s latest mobile CPUs.

Speaking of which, this particular model comes with an 11th gen CORE i7 1165G7 CPU, 16 GB of RAM, 1 TB SSD (!), Alexa built-in if you care about that, and a fantastic 11 hours battery, not to mention a gorgeous 16’’ WQXGA (2560×1600) display.

The cherry on the cake is this: despite its stellar specs and huge 16:10 display (okay, we are exaggerating a little bit for dramatic effect), this laptop weighs less than a 13’’. The only thing that we can complain about is the design, which is a little boring for a laptop from the future, but we’re only cherry-picking.

What is it

The LG Gram is built to maximize screen real estate without sacrificing weight in the process. To give you an idea, this laptop has the same screen size and resolution as a MacBook Pro 16’’, but due to its state-of-the-art magnesium alloy chassis, it weighs an incredible 1.16 kg or 2.6 lb, which is way lighter than the MacBook.

To be more precise, it’s 1.6 lb lighter and this is nothing short of amazing. The 16Z90P is also the latest iteration of the LG Gram, which makes for LG’s ultra-thin and light laptop range. There are also 14’’ and 17’’ variants as well, but the 16’’ hits the sweet spot in our book.

Moreover, the LG Gram 16 (2021) is an Intel Evo-certified laptop, which means it’s the next step in laptop design.

Specs

• CPU: 2.8GHz Intel Core i7-1165G7 (4-core, 12MB Intel Smart Cache, up to 4.7GHz with Turbo Boost)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR4X (4,266MHz)
• Screen: 16-inch WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) IPS LCD
• Storage: 1TB SSD (PCIe, NVMe, M.2)
• Ports: 2x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, 2 x USB-A 3.2, 1x HDMI, 1 x microSD card reader, combi audio jack
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
• Camera: 720p webcam
• Weight: 2.62 pounds (1.18kg)
• Size: 14.01 x 9.58 x 0.66-inches (355.9 x 243.4 x 16.8 mm; W x D x H)

Short Overview

At first sight, and especially after you pick it up for the first time, you’ll be flabbergasted with how light this laptop is. Until you physically hold it, you won’t really comprehend how incredibly light this machine is in real life. The 16’’ screen offers more than enough workspace without becoming too big, and since we’re talking Intel Evo, the Gram works smooth in everyday tasks.

Everything loads instantly, and even Windows 10 boots very fast. Due to its built-in fingerprint sensor, you can log in just by pressing the power button, and we must say that as far as productivity goes, this is a very accomplished laptop, i.e. it’s perfect for productivity-oriented people, or even for students shopping for something cool for school.

The laptop has no less than four Thunderbolt ports, which translates into future-proof cutting-edge support for high-end peripherals and storage. There are plenty other ports though, including full-size HDMI and USB for older devices, which is very nice on LG’s part.

Battery life is another strong point of this laptop, as 11 hours of autonomy is kind of hot for a 16’’ Windows 10 running machine. Speaking of battery life, don’t forget to read our article about how to care for your laptop’s battery.

As we already told you, we only complain about the dull design of this laptop from the future, and the preinstalled bloatware/software, which often spams pop-up messages trying to persuade you into buying nonsense subscriptions.

Design

As the Gram name suggests, this LG laptop’s main selling point is its incredible 2.6 pounds of weight, which makes it arguably the lightest 16’’ machine on the market. As we already told you, the LG Gram is almost half the weight of the Apple MacBook Pro (16’’ 2019 model).

The laptop can be effortlessly carried around in one hand due to its ultra-low weight, and if you carry it in a backpack or a bag, you will forget it’s there. The LG Gram is proof of concept that you don’t have to settle for a 13’’ laptop if you want something feather-light, and that screen size doesn’t matter in terms of overall weight.

The caveat to all these impressive features is the price, but if you can live with that, it doesn’t get any better than the LG Gram. Another thing to contemplate is that despite its lightness, this laptop is far from delicate. The Gram boasts a full metal chassis with impressive torsional rigidity, and passes the MIL-STD-810G military standard for durability.

So, don’t let its lightness full you: this baby is hard as a rock, as it’s built from the same material used by the aircraft industry. You can make spaceships from magnesium alloy, which means the LG Gram can survive drops and knocks, as well as dust, vibrations and high/low temps without breaking a sweat.

The laptop measures 14.01 x 9.58 x 0.66-inches (355.9 x 243.4 x 16.8 mm), i.e. it’s far from being compact, but will fit any bag without issue.

Connectivity is top-notch, including 2x Thunderbolt 4 USB C ports, 2x USB 3.2 and a microSD.

Display

The 16’’ display is also a big selling point for the LG Gram, due to its high resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio and thin bezels. Image quality is awesome, and the 2,56t0 x 1,600 WQXGA resolution panel supports 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which makes it ideal for video editing.

Speaking of which, the laptop meets and exceeds the industry standard used by video editors, which means color reproduction is highly accurate, not only bright and vibrant.

Keyboard

The keyboard is more than adequate for avid typists, i.e. it’s comfortable, ideal in size and has almost perfect key travel; obviously, the keys are backlit, but you can’t change the light color.

Performance

The laptop boasts Intel Evo certification, and performs nicely in daily tasks, such as web browsing, document creation and so on. The 16:10 ratio screen is perfect for portrait documents, even if it’s kind of reflective due to its glossy finish.

Keep in mind that the LG Gram is not designed to be a gaming laptop or a workhorse, but for general use, it’s just awesome. For example, you can perform video editing in 4K resolution with ease, as well as photo editing, which makes this laptop a worthwhile investment for both work and school.

Final word

If you can live with the price tag, this laptop is the best ultra-lightweight machine on the market, easy to carry around, highly portable and packs a lot of heat under the hood so to speak. However, the LG is not suited for gaming, as its integrated graphics cannot deal with modern titles.

The “two fiddy” will secure you the AX1800 router plus 2 satellite extenders, which translates into Wi-Fi 6 coverage for up to 4500 square feet and more than 25 devices connected at the same time. It’s already sounding impressive, isn’t it?

Speaking of impressive specs, the MK63S is 1.5 faster than Wi-Fi 5, with speeds up to 1.8 GB/s, which translate into improved gaming, smooth UHD streaming and zero lag/waiting for content on your laptop, smartphone, gaming console, what have you.

Before we proceed with the actual review, we suggest you read our article about Mesh vs Wi-Fi routers, to get up to date with all the details before you go on a shopping spree, just to make sure you don’t spend your money on something that’s not actually required. The same goes for Mesh network vs Wi-Fi extender by the way.

Specs

WiFi Coverage: 4,500 sq.ft
Uplink & Downlink OFDMA: Improved capacity and efficiency
Simultaneous Dual-band: WiFi 6 AX1800 (1200 + 600Mbps)†
Explicit Beamforming: 2.4GHz & 5GHz bands
MU-MIMO capable: for simultaneous data streaming
CPU: Qual-Code 1.5GHz processor
Ports: One (1) WAN 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet port & One (1) LAN 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet port
Memory: 128MB Flash and 256MB RAM
Security:

• NETGEAR Armor – Advanced cyber threat protection for your home and your connected devices*.
• Standards-based WiFi Security (802.11i, 128-bit AES encryption with PSK).
• Guest WiFi Network is easy to set up separate & secure Internet access for guests.
• WPA3-Personal provides more robust password-based authentication even when your password it not very strong.
• Secure Boot ensures only trusted firmware can be used on the hardware and blocks unauthorized firmware tampering.
• Push Button WPS/SYNC support.

Design

If you have a big house and you’re shopping for the best router for gaming, the Nighthawk MK63 mesh system will definitely fit the bill, both in terms of design and performance. This 3-piece mesh router system consists of a primary router and two extra satellites for amazing long-range, and the kit is designed to deliver outstanding Wi-Fi 6 coverage and lightning-fast transfer speeds.

Design-wise, the MK63 looks like that black alien artifact from 2001 A Space Odyssey, i.e. it’s basically three tiny black cubes with some fancy Nighthawk branding and blue LEDs. The compact design of both the router and the satellites makes it easy to “camouflage”, i.e. you can basically drop them anywhere, even on a shelf or a window ledge, and forget about it.

Another cool design feature is that both the Ethernet cable and the power cable are very long, 2 meters each, so you can move them around easily while setting your gear up. We must mention the fact that all three units (the router and the satellites) are well built and feel sturdy, and there are no annoying antennas breaking the reflective black mesas (the plastic body for our millennial readers), as everything is well hidden inside the 122 x 122 x 64mm chassis.

The only visible difference between the satellites and the router itself is that the latter comes with 2 gigabit Ethernet ports, one to connect it to your modem, and the other for other devices. Each mesh unit weighs 287 grams.

What it is

To put it simply, the MK63 mesh system is aimed at hardcore users, which means Nighthawk focused on gaming and UHD streaming. More precisely, this high-tech router features the newest Wi-Fi 6 standard, aka 802.11ax, with dual-band Wi-Fi on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, for a grand total of 1800 megabits per second (Mbps), as well as orthogonal frequency division multiple access or OFDMA, for reliable and fast Wi-Fi on numerous devices (up to 25) at the same time.

Be advised that in order to use the OFDMA feature, all the devices connected must support Wi-Fi 6; it’s also worth mentioning that the Wi-Fi 6 protocol is fully compatible with older mobile devices and computers that use 802.11ac Wi-Fi, it’s just you won’t be able to benefit from all the cool features and blazing fast transfer speeds.

The main router comes with 2 Ethernet ports, as we already told you, and that means it’s highly probable you’ll have to invest in a network switch if you own a ton of devices with Ethernet ports.

Set-up, Features, Performance

The good news is that the MK63 system is easy to set up via Nighthawk’s app, which works “out of the box” and detects automatically the primary router/the satellites, then gives you the option to scan a QR code so you can connect to your new network. In terms of ease of use, the MK63 really shines, and the only task for you is to create a secure password plus a couple of security questions, in order to log into the app itself.

The only downside of the app is that it’s, let’s say, very basic; in order to keep things as simple as possible, the app will create automatically a single network that puts together the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands, and this “simplicity” may annoy advanced users looking for the option to make separate networks for each band.

If you can get over the simpleton thing, the app has good features, including a built-in speed test, the option to create a guest network, plus a network map if you want to keep a close eye on all of the devices connected to your network. Parental controls are also here, but they’re basically an on/off switch to control network access for individual devices, nothing fancy about it.

Performance-wise, the MK63 is a champ, and if this is your first experience with a high-end Wi-Fi 6 capable router, you’ll be impressed by the router’s speed and connection quality.

Final word

You should definitely buy the MK63 if you’re a gamer looking for the speediest and lowest-latency Wi-Fi connection possible, as this router is everything about long-range coverage and high performance; also buy it if you have a big home with lots of gadgets, as the MK63 is pretty much future-proof and has the ability to provide reliable and smooth Wi-Fi to literally dozens of devices at the same time.

However, this new Wi-Fi 6 technology is basically an overkill for most home broadband devices, even if it’s super-fast and reliable; as in, if you just need a good router to get Wi-Fi into your bedroom upstairs, there are cheaper solutions.

As in, for something like $450, give or take, depending on where you source your product, you’ll get one hell of a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 mesh system which can replace regular routers and extenders setups and can cover over 6000 square feet or real estate, which is nothing short of impressive.

Before we proceed with the actual review, we suggest you read our article about Mesh network vs Wi-Fi extender.

Specs

• Connectivity Technology: Wi-Fi, Ethernet
• Brand: TP-Link
• Control Method: App
• Frequency Band Class: Tri-Band
• Wireless Communication Standard: 802.11n, 802.11b, 802.11ax, 802.11ac, 802.11g
• Security Protocol: WPA2, WPA3, WPA
• Number of Ports: 4
• Data Transfer Rate: 6600 Megabits Per Second
• Antenna Type: Internal
• Controller Type: Amazon Alexa

What it is

To make a long story short, the TP-Link Deco X90 is arguably one of the fastest Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems we’ve ever reviewed, featuring an attractive design and a relatively high price, but after all’s said and done, this baby is definitely worth it, especially if you’re hunting for the best router for gaming money can buy.

For serious gamers, the quality of a given router is just as important as the gaming gear itself, and that includes long-range routers, a department in which the Deco X90 really shines.

Design

Design-wise, this TP-Link machine will look awesome in just about any environment, featuring interlocking curves that look pretty much like Art Deco (hence its name) or expressionist architecture. Moreover, the system is quite compact considering their power level, which means you’ll have zero issues with “product placement”.

Who’s it for

Considering the fact that you’ll get 6000 square feet of coverage from the dual-unit system, the Deco X90 is clearly aimed at covering a large house or a property with detached buildings. Moreover, the AI-driven technology makes things even better, as the router literally learns about your connected devices moving between nodes, and the same goes for neighboring connections.

Basically, the router understands what information is stored locally and doesn’t require upload into the cloud.

Performance and Features

The Deco X90 is the successor of the TP-Link Archer AX90, and it was designed to deliver the same amount of “brute force” (performance) in a more attractive and compact form factor. On top of that, you’ll get more consistent coverage, which makes it even better than the AX90.

Hardware-wise, the Deco X90 makes for an AX6600 tri-band Wi-Fi 6 router, which means it will split the 6.6Gbps of available wireless bandwidth into 574Mbps at 2.4GHz, 1201Mbps on the 5GHz band, and 4804Mbps on the 5GHz band.

Considering the fact that there are relatively few high-end machines capable of 2402 Mbps, your Wi-Fi 6 devices will max out at 1201Mbps, which is more than enough for professional gaming or UHD video streaming.

If this is all gibberish to you, the lesson to be taken home is that the Deco X90 is not a bottleneck for your system, regardless of your gear quality.

Speaking about performance and 6000 square feet coverage, if your property has a lot of interference, like brick or concrete walls, you must expect for significantly less coverage from this router, and that’s absolutely normal

Just so you know, even HVAC system may interfere with the quality of the coverage, and if that’s a big issue to you, you can always add more Deco nodes to your setup, at extra cost obviously.

Each of the two nodes supplied in the retail package comes with 2 Ethernet ports. One of these is capable of 2.5 Gbps, and both ports can be used as LAN or WLAN, and they’ll switch automatically. Ethernet can also be used as a mesh backhaul if you’re encountering problems with your wireless link.

However, most users will stick to a wireless mesh link, and considering TP Link’s cutting-edge AI-drive technology, this would make for the sensible (and best in terms of performance) option in the Deco X90. The AI technology works by constantly retrieving and collecting data about signal strength in your connected devices and neighboring signals, and uses the respective data to optimize connections on the fly if something that interferes with the mesh-link (like an HVAC or microwave oven).

The AI-driven technology is also capable of reacting to changes in the environment, for example your neighbors upgrading their routers, and improve switching by determining when it makes the most sense to move your connection to the next node.

Basically, the router helps connected devices (smartphones, gaming consoles, you name it) to find their way to the closest node, and since the AI data is stored locally, there’s no security issue with uploading sensitive data on random servers owned by chicoms or whomever.

Everything pertaining to your private data is stored and processed on your router, and that’s a great feature in our book. The TP-Link app can be downloaded and installed on Android and iOS devices and will make your life easier if you want to set up your mesh system like a pro due to its clear and user-friendly interface.

Once you’ll figure it out, you’ll be able to change basic settings, see your connected devices and which node they’re on, and even use the parental controls with content filtering feature. Speaking of the latter, you’ll get custom profiles, so you can change settings quickly.

What’s weird about such a high-tech router is the total lack of advanced settings. If you’re looking to customize settings, just like with an old-school router, you may be disappointed. Other people will definitely appreciate the simplicity of the Deco X90, so the jury is still out on this issue.

However, you’ll still get the important stuff, like DHCP settings, port forwarding, operation modes and IPV6, so all is not lost with this TP-Link gizmo. One cool thing about this system is that both modules can function as master and/or slave, since the master and slave units aren’t designated by default.

The only thing that we didn’t like, except from the high price tag, is the strange fact that TP-Link failed to add USB ports to this mesh system. As in, you cannot connect to external storage devices, such as a printer, NAS (short for Network Attached Storage), or hard drive, and to some, this may be a deal-breaker.

Final word

You should buy the Deco X90 if money is no object, you want to show that you have exquisite, taste, and, joke aside, you already have Wi-Fi 6 devices, need coverage for your huge real estate with multi-gig speeds, and can appreciate free parental controls. If you have a lot of gear that run on 2.4 Ghz, look for something cheaper.

It’s true that toughness is somewhat imbedded in an SSD drive, due to its nature, i.e. it contains no moving/mechanical parts, unlike an old-school hard-disk drive. And as SSD prices are getting lower by the day, HDDs are slowly becoming extinct.

However, when it comes to storage only, the HDD is still king in terms of value for money, because if you take a look at the price tag, this 2 TB SSD drive is pretty expensive compared to a 2 TB external HDD. Yet, being a solid-state drive, it’s way more resistant to shocks, even compared to the best external hard drive, especially if you’ll throw it inside your camera bag and forget about it.

Finally, if you want to learn more about the differences between an external hard drive, an SSD and a flash drive, go read this article.

Specs

• Internal or External Internal
• Interface (Computer Side): USB Type-A or Type-C
• Capacity (Tested): 2 TB
• Bus Type: PCI Express 3.0 x4
• NVMe Support: Yes
• Rated Maximum Sequential Read: 2000 MBps
• Rated Maximum Sequential Write: 2000 MBps
• Warranty Length: 5 years

Design

As we already told you, this portable SSD from SanDisk features a tough design, being an excellent choice for both Mac and PC users looking for a solid external storage solution. Keep in mind that if 2 TB are not enough, there’s also a 4 GB version available (crazy expensive though), featuring the same tough design and blazing fast transfer speeds.

Speaking of toughness, the Extreme Pro has a rock-solid rubberized chassis, which makes it incredibly grippy, and an aluminum body featuring a loop at the top, so you can secure it using a carrying clip (provided in the retail box).

What’s really important though is the SSD’s IP55 rating, which means it’s both dust and water-resistant. This rating makes the SSD ideal for people who require data transfers rapidly during filming/photo shoots “in the wild” so to speak, as this SSD is tougher than a coffin nail. The only “soft spot” is the USB Type C port located at the bottom, because, strangely enough, SanDisk decided to not cover it in any way, shape or form.

So, if your SSD gets wet, falls into water or whatever, do make sure that USB Type C port is squeaky clean and dry before you connect anything to it. Truth be told, it would have been nice from SanDisk to put something there, like a removable cover to protect this port, but maybe we’ll see that with the next “facelift”, who knows.

It’s also worth mentioning that the SSD’s silicone sheath allows it to survive a drop from 6.5 ft, and that’s great for “rough and ready” scenarios. Arguably, this is one of the best consumer-grade drives out there, even if the SSD is still vulnerable to fine dust.

Final word on “toughness”: do not confuse IP55 to IP68; the latter rating means the device is impermeable to dust and can survive a drop in water. This SanDisk SSD lacks a port cover, so never dunk it in water, “aight”?

Before we move to the next segment, it’s nice to see that the SSD comes with 2 cables in the retail package, one with USB type C on both ends, and one with USB type A for more general compatibility.

Performance

This is where the fun begins: the Extreme Pro SSD stands at the apex of SanDisk’s Extreme line of solid-state drives, which means it’s designed to please hardcore users, like photographers, video editors, animators etc., i.e. people who are ready and willing to take full advantage of the SSD’s very latest USB 3.2 standard to move big chunks of data instantly, or almost.

Before we forget, if you’re planning to use this SSD for your Xbox, please go read this article, you’ll thank us later.

Now, since we’re dealing with a high-end SSD, it’s no wonder that the Extreme Pro Portable SSD really shines in terms of ridiculous speeds in regard to fast data transfer, even for a solid-state drive. If you’re using a Thunderbolt 3 port, you’ll experience the best performance out of this drive, as the Extreme Pro Portable is rated at 1,050 MB/s, which means over 900 MB/s in real life.

When it comes to transferring big chunks of data, this baby can copy huge files while hardly breaking a sweat, and that’s mostly due to its forged aluminum chassis, which works like a radiator, allowing it to dissipate data quickly and efficiently. The point being, this SSD will stay cool even under heavy loads, with consistent writing speeds in excess of 900 MB/s even if we’re talking large files (300 GB or more).

Another argument for buying this beast is that it features USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, i.e. the latest and fastest USB protocol on the market. Sometimes called SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps (the blue SS ports in your desktop), this protocol offers blazing-fast transfer speeds of up to 2,000MBps for both read and write.

Security

This is another strong selling point for the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable, as the SSD comes with Windows and macOS Security software bundles, which allow you to set a password and provide 256-bit AES hardware encryption, i.e. this is a tough nut to crack even for government agencies looking to steal your cat pics.

To make it really simple, the 256-bit AES hardware encryption thing is widely regarded as the gold standard for consumer-drive data encryption. You must also learn that the Extreme Pro Portable comes with a solid 5-year manufacturer’s warranty, which is kind of “long-term” security for peace of mind.

Final word

If you made it this far, we bet you’re already sold on this baby. The tl;dr version is that the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable is a high-performance solid-state drive aimed at multimedia creators and videographers, as it can transfer 4K/8K video in a jiffy if your computer supports USB 3.2 Gen 2×2.

The 500 GB version we are going to review here costs just a tad over one hundred bucks, reads up to 1,050 MB/s, writes up to 1 000 MB/s and comes backed by Samsung’s legendary quality control and 3 years manufacturer’s warranty.

On top of that, the SSD is made of aluminum and it’s shock-resistant, being able to support drops from 6ft. The shock resistance thing is specific to SSDs, which are by design resistant to shocks, even compared to the best external hard drive, as they have no moving parts.

Moreover, if you want to learn more about the differences between an external hard drive, an SSD and a flash drive, go read this article. And before we proceed with the review, keep in mind that if you’re planning to use this SSD for your Xbox, please go read this article, you’ll thank us later.

Specs

• Capacity: 500GB, 1TB and 2TB
• Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2 ( backward compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0)
• Texture: Aluminium
• Operating Temperature: 5–35°C
• System requirements: Windows 7 or higher
• Mac OS X 10.10 or higher or Android Lollipop (version 5.1) or higher
• Accessories: USB-A to USB-C and USB-C to USB-C cables, Quick start guide
• Color: Silver/Black
• Dimensions: ( L x W x H ): 85 x 57 x 8mm
• Weight: 58g
• Warranty: 3 years

What is it

To describe it succinctly, the Samsung T7 Touch Portable is the pinnacle of Korean know-how in SSD technology, boasting industry-leading data safety features and lightning fast data transfer speeds, while keeping everything very palatable price-wise for a top shelf portable SSD.

For what it costs, it doesn’t get any better in terms of value for money, so if you’re really decided to buy a portable SSD of this capacity and you’re happy with the price, you can stop reading and just click “buy it now”. That would be the tl;dr version of the review.

To give you a little bit of context, the T7 is the logical successor of the highly popular T5. The T7 is available in two flavors: the vanilla T7, and the Touch T7, which features a fingerprint sensor, hence the Touch thing, which complements Samsung’s Portable SSD Plus 1.0 software and AES 256-bit hardware encryption.

Needless to say, if you’re not a state-backed hacking group, it would be nearly impossible to break this bastard, i.e. to recover data from the device if you don’t have the “digit” to go with your SSD. As far as secure, innovative and simple to use portable SSDs go, this one runs with the best, as it has both the looks (sleek styling) and the performance, not to mention hardware encryption.

It’s worth mentioning that the T7 Touch is bus-powered, which means this portable SSD is capable of delivering exceptional speeds over the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface.

Design

Dimension-wise, the T7 Touch measures 85 x 57 x 8.0 mm and weighs 58 grams, featuring an elegant yet tough aluminum unibody construction. The SSD fits perfectly in the palm of your hand and it’s very easy to carry around in your pocket or wherever. The LED square will deliver a cool blue light when it lights up, and it’s designed to keep you up to date with what’s going on at a glance.

There are 2 cables delivered with the SSD, and each of them can be connected to the USB Type-C port. Overall, this SSD is a straightforward device, with a clean and ergonomic design, which is both useful and pleasant to the eye.

Hardware

The hardware department is Samsung’s specialty. Unlike other SSD manufacturers, Samsung have it all made in-house, i.e. the controller, the NAND memory and the software is all made by Samsung. Since there’s no third party involved, everything runs buttery smooth and there are zero issues with quality control; that’s why Samsung SSDs are arguably the best in the world.

Now, the main difference between the older-gen T5 and the T7 is that the latter has an NVMe SSD behind the USB 3.2 Gen 2 bridge, for improved performance compared to older SATA technology. According to industry insiders, the T7 Touch uses 6th gen 136-layer V-NAND (92L TLC V-NAND), compared to the T5’s 64-layer V-NAND, a “Pablo” NAND flash controller, and it interfaces with an ASMedia ASM2362 chip, which is a USB 3.2 Gen2-to-NVMe bridge chip for connection to the host.

The SSD comes preformatted from factory as exFAT, which means it’s 100 percent compatible with basically any computer (Apple, PC), as well as gaming consoles, smartphones, smart TVs and anything in between.

The drive also contains the Samsung Portable SSD Plus software, which is required to enable its fingerprint sensor and to set-up your desired level of security. You can also download the app version of the software to use it with your smartphone, if your smartphone comes with a USB Type C port obviously. The setup process with regard to the SSD’s fingerprint capabilities is just as easy as doing it on your smartphone.

Keep in mind that for the fingerprint sensor to work, the SSD must be connected at all times to an USB port. The T7 Touch features S.M.A.R.T. data reporting and comes with TRIM support, so you can safely monitor your SSD health status.

The AES 256-bit hardware encryption is definitely aimed at security-conscious users as well as business users who want an extra level of security for their data. The fingerprint scanner is also a very nice touch for corporate security types, as it streamlines the encryption authentication process, i.e. entering a password is no longer required, and, what’s very cool about it, the scanner works to unlock SSD, regardless if the supporting software is installed on the host or not, making unlocking easy on any device.

The T7 Touch can store up to four different fingerprints, so the SSD can be safely used in a shared environment. It’s also worth mentioning that the drive comes with Samsung’s proprietary Dynamic Thermal Guard technology, which works by minimizing heat generation to keep the SSD at optimum operating temperatures.

On top of that, the drive used Encapsulated Phase Change Material in its construction, which absorbs excess heat from the components and releases it slowly to shield it against overheating.

Accessories

The T7 touch ships with 2 USB cables, 1x USB Type-C to Type-C and 1x USB Type-C to USB Type-A. Each cable measures 45 cm/18 inches, which is a nice touch, as they’re long enough to avoid dangling the SSD from a rear/front port.

Bottom line

The T7 Touch is a great choice for both “civilian” and corporate use, as it strikes the right balance between speed, security, pricing and portability, which is rare nowadays. Even if there’s no Mil-Spec/IP rating, at this price and considering the brand, nobody really cares.

Retailing for significantly less than two hundred bucks, the Archer A20 AC4000 comes with a ton of features, and solid performance for congested networks, which means it offers very fast file transfer performance and solid throughput, not to mention a rich suite of built-in network security tools and comprehensive parental controls. But let’s not anticipate.

Before we proceed with the tech-specs, keep in mind that the 6 (!) antennae are designed to literally obliterate Wi-Fi dead spots, and while we’re at it, check out this article on the best Wi-Fi router for long-range, especially if you’re on a tight budget.

Also, before you go on a shopping spree, make sure you know the difference between 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz Wi-Fi.

Let’s begin with the tech specs.

Performance
AC4000
(750 Mbps + 1,650 Mbps + 1,650 Mbps)
Frequency
Tri-band
2.4 GHz, 5 GHz-1, 5 GHz-2
Processor
1.8 GHz 64-bit quad-core CPU
Three co-processors
Memory
512 MB RAM
Wireless standards
802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Antennas
Six external
Ports
One USB-A 3.0
One USB-A 2.0
Ethernet
Four LAN
One WAN
Additional features
MU-MIMO, Smart Connect, RangeBoost, Link Aggregation, Quality of Service, Antivirus, Parental Controls

What is it

To make a long and boring story short and sweet, the TP-Link Archer A20 is the last router you’ll ever have to buy for your smart home. The thing is, home networks are becoming increasingly congested, due to the proliferation of smart stuff (appliances, speakers, appliances, sex dolls, you name it), and the TP-Link Archer A20 is the final solution to any congestion problem.

Speaking of congestion, if you add into the mix smartphones, gaming consoles, streaming players, tablets, laptops etc. you’ll start to understand why TP-Link put 6 antennae on this router. So, this is basically a tri-band router that offers robust parental controls, solid throughput and no less than 3 years of free network security courtesy of Trend Micro.

The router is fairly easy to setup and install via its mobile app or using a web console, and it’s an excellent choice for both fast file transfer performance and downloading stuff/moving large blocks of data.

Design and Features

In terms of design, TP-Link didn’t try very hard to convince you that this is not a router but something from outer space. As in, the Archer A20 looks very much like its siblings, sharing the same design TP-Link used in several previous routers.

Everything is shrouded in black plastic, and the outer shell of the router features several breathing holes across the top and bottom, designed to dissipate heat.

Design-wise, the router looks unassuming and pretty much unremarkable, but you’ll definitely notice the six antennas, 3 on each side, which would make it pretty hard to miss. Also, the router is relatively compact, measuring 7.9 x 7.9 x 1.5 inches (200 x 200 x 39 mm), except from the antennas, which measure 4.5 inches (114 mm) when extended.

The front of the router is home to the regular batch of system lights, which indicate the status of each Wi-Fi band, connected USB devices and your internet connection. You’ll also discover a WPS button that will help you with connecting wireless devices nice and easy, a button to put the router in “sleep” (night) mode (lights off), and a toggle for killing the Wi-Fi signal (on/off).

As usual with high-performance routers, the Archer A20 sports 4 Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports around the rear, 1 USB-A 3.0 port, plus 1 USB-A 2.0 port, as well as a power switch and a reset button. We’re glad to discover the USB 3.0 port, which is great for connecting media drives for easy access across your home network from all devices, and truth be told, this is something you don’t always find on affordable routers.

Hardware Stuff

If you’re a technology fiend, you’ll definitely love this section, because here you will understand what your money will buy you, and if it’s worth the trouble: the Archer A20 runs on a Broadcom 1.8GHz quad-core CPU and 512MB of RAM.

Since this is an AC4000 router, it means it can reach maximum signal rates of 750Mbps on the 2.4GHz radio band and 1,625Mbps on each of the two 5GHz radio bands (tri-band baby!). The router uses Wave 2 802.11ac tech, which means MU-MIMO simultaneous data streaming, direct-to-client signal beamforming, and SmartConnect (automatic band steering) support.

Needless to say, we have zero complaints in terms of “value for money”, i.e. this is an impressive router considering the price asked.

Setup and Management

Most importantly, this advanced router is fairly easy to set up, even for non tech-savvy users. Setting it up is a simple process, especially if you download and install TP-Link’s Tether app for iOS and Android smartphones. You can also use the web interface if you’re an advanced user.

The app makes the installation process a child’s play, being one of the most user-friendly ways to sort things up. All you have to do is to plug all your devices/cables into your router, turn it on, download and open the app and get things started. The app will guide you through the process step by step, and you’ll have to pick your network name, assign a password, and choose which WiFi bands you want to use.

With the setup process taken care of, the app will allow you to tinker with various settings, as it acts as a more simplified and user-friendly version of the web interface. The app also allows you to quickly check for firmware updates, see a list of devices connected to your router, reset the router by remote, and see which bands are in use.

Moreover, the Tether app becomes very useful when it comes to turning on guest networks and connecting your router to cool services like Amazon’s Alexa and IFTTT (If This Then That) for voice control and automation.

However, the web interface offers a more robust set of customization options, including turning on and adjusting the built-in Antivirus powered by Trend Micro, Quality of Service (QoS) to prioritize traffic and parental controls.

Basically, the web interface allows you an “in-depth” immersion into your router’s settings, but for most people, this is esoteric stuff, as in you’ll never have to touch things like granular DNS and MAC settings in the web interface.

But, if you’re trying to enable features like Smart Connect, which dynamically switches your devices between 5GHz and 2.4GHz to maintain the best connection and combines the 3 WiFi bands under one SSID, the only way to go is via web interface.

Performance

Due to its solid hardware, the router will meet and exceed basically anyone’s expectations for home use. The TP-Link Archer A20 has a total output of 4,000 Mbps, which is split between 750 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1,650 Mbps on each of the 2x 5GHz bands.

Basically, these speeds are overkill compared to what you’re likely to encounter in virtually any real-life scenario, that if you’re a typical home-user and not a hacker, crypto-bug or whatever.

Final word

If you’re looking for a solid AC4000 MU-MIMO Tri-Band WiFi Router, the Archer A20 comes highly recommended.

This is definitely not an affordable router, but it comes loaded with all the technological bells and whistles one can dream of in the current year, features like Dual Band Gigabit Wireless which basically obliterates Wi-Fi dead spots, strong Wi-Fi 6 performance for long-range and so on and so forth.

And while we’re at it, check out this article on the best Wi-Fi router for long-range, especially if you’re on a tight budget and you don’t require all the fancy gaming features. Also, before you go on a shopping spree, make sure you know the difference between 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz Wi-Fi.

Let’s begin with tech specs.

Specs:

• Processor: 1.5 GHz tri-core processor
• Memory: 256 MB Flash, 512 MB RAM
• Ports: RJ45 for 10/100/1000 BaseT for WAN x 1, RJ45 for 10/100/1000 BaseT for LAN x 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1 x 1
• Encryption: WPA3-Personal, WPA2-Personal, WPA-Personal, WPA-Enterprise , WPA2-Enterprise , WPS support
• Wi-Fi Technology: OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access), Beamforming: standard-based and universal, 1024-QAM high data rate, 20/40/80/160 MHz bandwidth
• Dimensions: 275.5 x 184.4 x 165 mm (WxDxH) with antenna, 275.5 x 184.4 x 65 mm (WxDxH) without antenna
• Weight: 740 g

What it is

The ASUS AX5400 ticks off a lot of boxes for gaming aficionados, making for an ideal router for both gaming and streaming, due to its impressive Wi-Fi 6 performance.

However, this machine does not cost a fortune compared to other brands, and the Asus proprietary app is great for newcomers, and also provides solid security features and parental controls. Moreover, Asus offers a strong web browser interface for advanced users and gamers.

Keep in mind that this is not a ROG product, which means there are better and more expensive Asus gaming routers out there. Even if the RT-AX82U doesn’t’ really play in the same league as ROG routers, you’ll still receive a lot of gaming router for the money asked.

Basically, this router is crafted for casual gaming and video streaming, being significantly faster compared to conventional 802.11ac routers, while providing a comprehensive set of features for smart homes that require fast and reliable Wi-Fi.

Design and features

Even if the router doesn’t wear the ROG logo, it definitely looks like a gaming router, due to its sharply angular design, low profile and the aggressive 4 large antennae that look like they want to stab your enemies, both foreign and domestic. The front panel features a pair of alien eyes, or, to be more precise, 2 small LED panels that can glow in a variety of colors, and you can use the Asus app to choose between plethoras of auras that strobe through different color sequences.

Design-wise, this router looks spectacular, especially if you’re young at heart, but gaming gimmickry aside, the Asus RT-AX82U really means business, featuring dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (aka 802.11ax) with a top speed of 5400Mbps (5.4Gbps).

Before you complain, we know, there are faster gaming routers out there, for example the Asus RoG Capture, which offers 11 Gbps transfer speeds, but we’re not talking about the same price range, i.e. the latter is way more expensive. Now, since the ASUS AX5400 doesn’t come with a modem, it takes care of things via a dedicated Gigabit Ethernet port for connecting to your existing modem or router, so there are zero issues with using your broadband connection.

The router also has 4 extra Gigabit Ethernet ports, which means you can connect your smart TV and your gaming console hassle-free for a lag-free gaming experience. One of the ports is designated as the “gaming port”, which means it has priority over the other devices connected; finally, there’s a “solitary” USB 3.1 port that comes handy for sharing a USB storage device like an external hard disk on your home network, plus a power switch that’s useful for router reboots.

Set-up and performance

The router walks the golden path in regard to striking the perfect balance between ease of use for tech noobs and advanced features for “gosu” gamers. Basically, even if you’re a greenhorn buying his first gaming router, you’ll have zero issues with setting this bad boy up. The retail package even includes a printed manual, but who reads instruction manuals these days, amirite?

You have basically 2 options to set up your router, but the quick and easy way is to go for the app, more precisely the Asus router app for Android and iOS smartphones. The advanced web browser interface is for tech geeks only, but it also offers a more comprehensive way to tinker with your Wi-Fi and network settings.

The Asus Router app starts by offering you the option to set up distinct networks on the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz bands, or, if one so inclined, to merge the 2 bands together into a single network. This is a nice touch from Asus, and the only complaint we have is that the router’s default network is not password protected for whatever reason.

The Asus Router app has all the features required for a normal user, including setting up a guest network and solid parental controls. There’s even a security feature available, called AiProtection, that protects your home network from hacking attempts via malicious websites or malware, while being absolutely free of charge.

The app also features a Mobile Gaming mode, for prioritizing mobile devices in order to provide maximum performance, as well as specific tasks, like video streaming. The web browser interface is even better in this regard, as it allows you to select other devices for gaming priority, and even use that USB port to set up a hard drive for Time Machine back-ups on a Mac.

Performance-wise, the router really shines considering the price asked, as in we have zero complaints at this price point in terms of data transfer speed, both on the 5 Ghz and the 2.4 Ghz band. Also, the app and the web interface are providing versatile controls and features that are suitable for both non gamers and gamers alike, making the router an excellent option for anyone looking for fast and affordable Wi-Fi.

Firmware Upgrades

It’s a known fact that older firmware may be plagued by security issues, and companies regularly update their devices to stay in touch with the latest security threats. In this regard, Asus did a great job with their router, as the RT-AX82U offers a step in the setup process to upgrade the firmware to the latest version, which is a nice touch.

This cool feature makes sure that all the latest security updates are applied, along with bug fixes.

Final word

The RT-AX82U makes for a solid upper mid-range gaming-focused router, and offers amazing value for money performance-wise, as well as integrated security and ease of use. Buy it if you’re a casual gamer/video streamer, and especially if you’ve got kids, as the router provides solid control features for protecting your kids from unsuited material and things of that nature.

Don’t buy it if you’re on a tight budget and especially if you’re not a gamer, as this router is overkill for “normie” use.

As usual with gaming laptops, the TUF FX505GT can be used as a workhorse in various scenarios, not only gaming. Considering the hardware inside, this TUF beast would do a great job on video editing tasks, i.e. the last-gen Intel I7 CPU and the nVidia GTX 1650 4GB GPU would not disappoint the pickiest editor.

Moreover, the Asus TUF FX505GT is a great choice for graphic designers looking for a “value for money” oriented rig, so there you have it: this gaming laptop is the definition of jack of all trades, master of none. As in, it does a great job in gaming, video editing, graphic design, what have you, but it’s not “the best in the world”, and that’s pretty obvious considering the price tag.

As long as you don’t expect miracles from this machine, you’ll not be disappointed. However, if you want to squeeze the last ounce of performance from your laptop and enhance its life-span, don’t forget to buy a high-performance cooling pad.

Specs

• CPU: 9th Generation Intel Hexa-Core i7-9750H (Base 2.60 GHz, Up to 4.50 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 12 MB Intel Smart Cache, 12 Threads)
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB GDDR4
• Display: 15.6-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) LED IPS 144 Hz, 5ms response time
• RAM/Storage: 8GB RAM I 512GB SSD
• Connectivity: 2 USB 3.2 Gen1 1 USB 2.0 1 HDMI 1 RJ-45 LAN (10/100/1000) 1 Headphone/microphone combo jack
• Other: Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit), 720p HD webcam, Gigabit Wave 2 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) with Bluetooth 5.0, RGB backlit keyboard rated for 20-million keystroke durability, DTS Headphone: X technology delivers high-fidelity 7.1-channel virtual surround-sound audio, up to 8 hours battery life

By the way, while we’re at it, don’t forget to check out this article about the main features and specifications to look after before buying a new laptop.

What it is

As we already told you in the preamble, the Asus TUF FX505GT is an interesting mélange of performance and features, all packed inside a nice chassis at a relatively affordable price. If you’re looking for the best bang for the buck, this gaming laptop should definitely rank high on your shopping list.

However, it must be noted that Asus had to cut a few corners with this laptop, in order to keep performance high. What they did was to basically sacrifice build quality and portability, so be advised: this is not a “premium” laptop, but a workhorse, and you may notice some squeaks when pressing hard on the chassis.

Build quality

We’ll give this laptop a passing note, let’s say a C+ in terms of build quality. The thing is, Asus did an “all plastic” job with the Asus TUF FX505GT, as in everything is plastic except from the aluminum lid. However, the laptop is relatively robust and feels solid compared to cheaper alternatives. But, we must tell you that if pushed hard, the keyboard has a noticeable flex.

Yet, for a cheap gaming laptop, everything looks and feels rather nice. Design-wise, the TUF looks pretty much middle of the road for a gaming laptop; truth be told, the Asus looks relatively somber for a gaming laptop, which means you can take it with you anywhere, without vexing your boomer boss, and that’s a plus in our book.

To be more specific, the laptop has cut corners and a relatively aggressive trapezoid cut lid, but that’s about all there is to it in terms of “gaming design”.

Processing power

Considering what’s under the hood, i.e. the laptop being powered by a 9th gen Intel Core i7-9750H CPU, which can be found in more expensive gaming laptops, everything is on the up and up in terms of performance. This is a 6-core (hexa core) processor, with 12 threads and 12 MB of cache, a base frequency of 2.6 Ghz up to 4.5 Ghz in turbo mode.

Before you ask, that’s very good, and if you want to learn more about this CPU, just check out how it does against a Ryzen 7 3750 in this benchmark. If you are not impressed, stop reading and go make me a sandwich. Joke aside, the Intel does better than the AMD in terms of performance output, but it eats more juice.

System memory

The 8 GB of DDR4-2666MHz RAM are pretty good for an everyday gaming laptop, though 16 GB would be much better. Don’t worry, as upgrades are possible without voiding warranty, but you’ll have to cough up some dough in the process.

You can put up to 32 GB of RAM in this laptop, but 16 GB provide the best gaming experience for the price.

Storage

This part is not particularly important in a gaming laptop, the storage thing respectively, as different people have different needs, and you can always buy an external drive there’s not enough space. However, Asus did a good job in this regard, as the laptop arrives with a generous M.2 512-gigabyte PCIe Gen3 Solid State Drive, and that means you can upgrade storage space via the 2.5″ slot, i.e. you can put an extra SSD inside.

Graphics

For the price, Asus did a great job with putting a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 (4 GB) inside, which is miles ahead compared to what its competitors offer at a similar price point. If you want to know what this GPU is capable of, just check out this benchmark and stand in awe.

To be more specific in terms of GPU performance, here are the frame rates that can be expected from this baby, on FHD resolution and ultra-high settings: GTA 5 : 60+ fps, CS:GO: 60+ fps, Minecraft: 60+ fps, Fortnite: 60+ fps, i.e. these games will run smoothly out-of-the-box.

If you follow our advice and upgrade the machine with extra RAM (16 GB instead of 8 GB stock), you’ll be able to play Forza Horizon 4@40 fps, Far Cry 5@ 50 fps, or Call of Duty WWII@ 40 fps.

Display

Here’s where this laptop really shines: the 15.6″ 120Hz IPS FHD slim bezel display. We dare you to find another gaming laptop in this price category to offer 120Hz. Gaming is an immersive experience on this excellent display, with less blur, less latency, and increased sharpness, which make this laptop to be a tier above its direct competitors.

Connectivity

The Asus TUF FX505GT is relatively weird in terms of connectivity options, as in, for whatever reason, Asus decided to not offer a USB Type C slot, and instead relying on ancient USB 2.0. This is most probably cost-cutting at its best, but come on…

All the ports are located on the left side of the laptop, and we must emphasize the fact that the laptop comes with a beefy (as in high-speed) Gigabit Ethernet LAN card, as well as 802.11ac wireless and Bluetooth 4.2., which is pretty standard.

Battery life/Portability

As expected, gaming laptops are not the best choice if you’re looking for an “every day carry” machine. This machine is not designed for daily commuting or long trips, as it weighs almost 5 pounds and it’s relatively thick. Battery life is not impressive, as expected, as the laptop comes with a puny 3-cell, 48Whr Li-Polymer battery pack which is mediocre at best in terms of autonomy.

Bottom line

For the price, this laptop is tough to bit and an easy sell for us. If you’re looking for a solid gaming/video editing laptop, the TUF FX505GT is easy to recommend, especially if you’re on a tight budget. If you can live with its downsides, i.e. poor battery life, reduced portability and all-plastic construction, not to mention the lack of USB Type C ports, just go for it.

In terms of gaming/productivity, you will enjoy the strong CPU-SSD-GPU combo, plus the fantastic display quality, and if you go for the RAM upgrade, this laptop is unbeatable at its current price.

Acer is one of the main players in the “best bang for the buck” category, and they excel in offering amazing value for money gaming laptops, specially designed for nerds who spend most of their lives shooting stuff.

Since the Nitro 5 retails for way less than one thousand bucks, it would make for an excellent addition to your gaming paraphernalia due to its solid hardware platform and gaming-centric design, which will definitely win the hearts and minds of keyboard warriors under a certain age.

Seriously speaking, this gaming laptop means business both inside and out, as it’s powered by a 10th generation Intel Core I5 10300H, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU.

As usual, when it comes to high-powered laptops, the Nitro 5 can be used successfully not only for gaming. Considering the hardware inside, this machine will also do a great job with video editing tasks, as well as making for a solid tool for graphic designers looking for a “value for money” oriented rig, so there you have it: the Nitro 5 will do great in both gaming, video editing, graphic design, what have you.

There’s one caveat though: as long as you don’t expect miracles from this Asus ROG lookalike, you’ll not be disappointed, i.e. this is an I5 powered laptop after all, also known as aurea mediocritas.

Finally, if you want to squeeze the last ounce of performance from your gaming rig and enhance its lifespan, don’t forget to buy a high-performance cooling pad.

Specs

• CPU: 10th Generation Intel Core i5-10300H Processor (Up to 4.5GHz)
• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Graphics with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM
• Display: 15″ Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit 144Hz Refresh Display
• RAM/Storage: 8GB DDR4 2933MHz Memory | 256GB NVMe SSD (2 x PCIe M.2 Slots – 1 Slot Open for Easy Upgrades) & 1 – Available Hard Drive Bay
• Connectivity: LAN: Killer Ethernet E2600 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN | Wireless: Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX201 802.11ax

While we’re at it, check out this article about the main features and specifications to look after before buying a new laptop.

What it is

To define it succinctly, the Acer Nitro 5 is a competent rig aimed at budget gamers, making for Acer’s latest stab at the budget laptop gaming scene. The current price of the Nitro 5 revolves around $700, give or take, in this particular spec option.

Even if it is a relatively cheap gaming laptop, it can be used for playing the more demanding games, which means the Nitro 5 delivers more for less (money), making for a solid gaming rig with decently powerful specifications, an average full HD display, a comfy keyboard, and, most importantly, it features Acer CoolBoost Technology with Twin Fans and Quad Exhaust Ports Design which keeps it cool under heavy loads.

Design

To make a long story short, the Nitro 5 design is not great, not terrible, to quote from the classics. To be more precise, there’s a lot to be desired with the Nitro 5 in terms of look and feel, but it’s not all bad. For example, some folks will appreciate the laptop’s subdued gamer look, courtesy of its blood-red trimmings on the top rear bar, trackpad and keyboard backlight.

The display hinges are well built and solid, and there are more than enough ports to accommodate your gaming gear. The red keyboard is very comfortable, and that’s a big plus in our book, while the user-controllable cooling system is a boon.

But, the overall design/build quality of the Nitro 5 is nothing to write home about really. The design borrows heavily from Asus ROG machines, and there are many cutbacks, in order to keep the price down. For example, the screen lid is all plastic (cheap plastic actually), the area around the keyboard track and the top cover will draw fingerprints like crazy, and the display has enormous bezels around it.

The worst of all is the trackpad, which is ridiculous. Finally, the laptop measures 0.94 by 14.3 by 10 inches, and weighs 5.5 pounds, which is average for a 15.6 incher.

Keyboard

The keyboard scores a major win for the Nitro 5, being comfortable and reliable, responsive and fast, with zero lag, or missed/accidental presses. Needless to say, this keyboard will please both hardcore gamers and avid typists, thus making for a nice surprise in the laptop’s price bracket.

Trackpad

As we already told you, this laptop is all about hits and misses, and the trackpad is a definite miss, by a mile actually. We don’t understand why they bothered at all with putting a substandard trackpad on this laptop, as it’s literally useless, very stiff and with a lot of travel, not to mention poorly designed.

Be advised: you will not be able to use this laptop without a proper mouse.

Display & general performance

We gave good news in this department: the display is a full HD IPS variant with 144 Hz refresh rate, which makes it excellent for gaming, especially FPS stuff. The screen features a non-reflective matte finish, which is a nice touch from Acer, and the hinges allow it to move 150 degrees, with everything feeling solid and sans wobble.

The IPS panel is fairly sharp, with decent viewing angles. The 144 Hz refresh rate also makes moving around Windows super-smooth, and the display has a listed 3 ms refresh rate, which is kind of good. Finally, the display is Freesync compatible, which means it supports variable refresh rate.

Here’s a quick word for professionals looking for a laptop gaming with video editing on the side: just 59 percent of sRGB color space is covered, which means this is not droid you are looking for in terms of critical colorwork. However, even if the display is far from impressive in terms of color reproduction and color uniformity, it’s more than adequate for general use.

Performance-wise, the laptop does well, but not stellar (this is not an I7), and the SSD provides fast loading speeds. To give you a hint, you can play Assassins Creed Valhalla on mid-to-high settings with 40 to 60 fps, provided you upgrade the RAM amount to 16 GB.

Battery life

Truth be told, battery life is bad, but that’s to be expected from a gaming laptop with a high-performance GPU and dual cooling. These things put a lot of pressure on battery, and even if you can use software to adjust fan speeds for both CPU and GPU, you won’t get more than 2 and a half-hour of uptime on battery power.

Yet, this is to be expected from a cheap gaming laptop, so overall, this is a feature, not a bug .

Bottom line

All things considered, the Acer Nitro 5 offers impressive value for money: the hardware inside if pretty good for both gaming and productivity tasks (making money that is), the keyboard is very good, the screen is more than acceptable, and you can get true 60fps gaming if you dial back the image settings a little bit.

If you’re a “financially challenged gamer”, the Acer Nitro 5 can be your panacea.

To be more precise, for something like $130, give or take, depending on how good a “deal” you can get, you’ll receive a lot of bang for the proverbial buck asked: stellar build quality, tons of primo-comfort for your ears, personalized sound output that meets and exceed expectations (mind you, these earbuds are not cheap at all if compared to brands other than Apple or B&O), and excellently implemented active noise-cancelling technology.

Before we proceed, if you want to understand the difference between earphones and earbuds, go read this lengthy article explaining it.

Specifications

• Water resistance: IPX4 (splash resistant)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, SBC, AAC
• Battery life: six hours ANC on (up to 21 hours with case; 26 hours with ANC off)
• Earbud dimensions: 37.3 x 22.1 x 23.1mm
• Earbud weight: 5.2g each
• Driver size: 11mm
• Charging case dimensions: 62.0 x 59.7 x 30.0mm
• Charging case weight: 50.5g
• Case charging: USB-C, Qi wireless charging