BensBargains.net Latest Reviews

Samsung Touch of Color T260HD 26" Widescreen LCD HDTV/Monitor

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0700

LCD monitor prices seem to be on a downward trend right now, with some 28" monitors reaching as low as the $200 range. Combine that with the fact that many monitors are starting to include HDCP compatibility and you’ve got a reason to go shopping for a new monitor. Ultimately, what I ended up with was the Samsung Touch of Color T260HD 25.5" Widescreen LCD Monitor. While not quite as big as the giant 28" or 30" monitors recently posted, the Samsung T260HD offers much more connectivity options than most other panels out there. Read on for the juicy details. [Read Full Review]

Dell Inspiron Mini 9 Netbook

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:48:17 -0800

The Inspiron Mini 9 is Dell's first product to address the burgeoning netbook market. The attraction of netbooks is due to a combination of factors including portability, usability, and price. Whereas the Mini 9 was originally priced at $349, we've recently seen refurbished versions for as low as $178. With prices as affordable as that, I had to give the Mini a spin. [Read Full Review]

Das Keyboard Mechanical Keyboard

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:32:50 -0800

The keyboard is the main input device that we use to interact with our computers. Unfortunately, it is also the first place computer makers look to cut costs. If you're using a stock keyboard from Dell, HP... or - god forbid eMachines, you're probably not typing much. I've been using the Logitech DiNovo Bluetooth keyboard for a few years, but I recently came across a new premium line of keyboards called the Das Keyboard. Read on for my take on this re-invented keyboard. [Read Full Review]

Now is the time to build your holiday PC

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:25:53 -0800

The time has come for all you holdouts to start buying up what you need to build your system for the new year. I just glanced through our exclusive PC Builder and was frankly amazed at what you can put together using today's deals, mostly from NewEgg.com. Everything below is $335 total after rebates, just add Memory/CPU/Motherboard/Video.

Acer X193Wb Black 19" 5ms Widescreen LCD Monitor = $100

Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB Hard Drive = $130

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case = $60

Thermaltake Purepower W0100RU 500W ATX 12V 2.0 Power Supply = $15

Logitech VX Revolution Black 8 Buttons Tilt Wheel Mouse = $10

Asus Black 20x DVD+/-RW/-RAM Writer = $20

MySoldius Universal Solar Charger

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:28:41 -0700

I recently had the opportunity to make a 5+ hour drive from San Francisco down to Santa Barbara. An obvious necessity during extended driving sessions down the California coast is music, and plenty of it. Therefore, I had my trusty iPod in tow pumping tunes on my slammed ride. But there was something special supplying the power to keep the iPod battery topped off - The MySoldius Universal Solar Charger. [Read Full Review]

MoGo X54 Presenter Mouse ExpressCard

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:35:50 -0700

There is a delicate balance between size and function when it comes to notebook mice. They are getting smaller and smaller as more people are using their computers on-the-go. Newton Peripherals decided to push the envelope and developed a mouse that will fit into a notebook computer's ExpressCard/54 slot. Did they go too far or does the ExpressCard form factor fit the bill? Click through to find out. [Read Full Review]

Dell Latitude E5400 14.1" Business Laptop Dell

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:02:46 -0700

Dell has recently revamped their Latitude line of business laptops, releasing them under the "E-Series" name. Here we take a look at the portable productivity targeted laptop, the Latitude E5400. We’re trying to find out if this is going to be the computer that your company buys to deploy to the grunts such as yourself. Let’s take a look. [Read Full Review]

Belkin 5-Port Network USB Hub

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:30:05 -0700

When you want to share USB devices connected to a particular computer, you usually have to set up sharing on that computer and leave it powered on so that other computers on the network can access those devices. With the Belkin F5L009 Network USB Hub, that is no longer an issue. You can connect your USB peripherals to the hub and connect the hub to your existing wired or wireless network to share those devices. It all sounds good on paper, but does it really meet our expectations? Click through to find out. [Read Full Review]

Logitech diNovo Edge USB Bluetooth Keyboard

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:59:19 -0700

The Logitech diNovo Edge is a bluetooth keyboard that aims to be both useful and stylish. It is Logitech's latest installment in the diNovo lineup, which began years ago with the diNovo Cordless Desktop. Will the Edge edge out its older siblings, or will it fall short of our expectations? Click through to find out. [Read Full Review]

Dell Studio Hybrid

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:30:22 -0700

The Dell Studio Hybrid has arrived on the scene at a time when energy efficiency has become a topic of national concern. According to Dell, the Studio Hybrid is "Designed to fit into your environment while protecting the environment." The Hybrid is Dell's smallest desktop, and it is available with customizable sleeves including one made out of natural bamboo. Click on through to see our close up take of the Dell Studio Hybrid PC. [Read Full Review]

Western Digital 1TB MyBook USB/FW/eSATA Drive

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:07:30 -0700

It used to be that in order to upgrade your storage capacity, you'd have to rip open your computer case and install a new hard drive. That task proved daunting for many a Geek Squad customer, causing untold amounts of cash to be blown on the simple service of installing and formatting a new hard drive. Enter external hard drives. External hard drives have exploded in popularity in the past few years because they give users an easy way to expand their storage capacity, without the headaches of a Geek Squad or FireDogs (or worse, Fry's tech) visit. Here we check out the Western Digital 1TB MyBook Studio Edition Quad-Interface Hard Drive. [Read Full Review]

KWorld USB 2.0 Digital HDTV Tuner Stick

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:35:15 -0700

TV Tuners started as big, bulky PCI cards that could only be used inside desktop machines. The picture quality from early TV Tuner cards was fairly inadequate as compared to watching a real television set. With the advent of USB 2.0, numerous external TV Tuner options became available. These external USB 2.0 tuners have come to rival their desktop counterparts, all while remaining a single plug and play stick. The KWorld PlusTV ATSC 340U USB TV Tuner is only slightly larger than a standard USB Flash Drive, and it offers the ability to turn your desktop or notebook into a TV. Is it small enough to be useful as a portable TV tuner, and will the quality be acceptable? Click through to find out. [Read Full Review]

Budget Webcam Shootout

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:27:22 -0700

Webcams have been around for about a decade since the introduction of the original Logitech Quickcam in the late 90's. Their use remained confined to a relatively niche community for many years, however the recent explosion in user-created video & VOIP has brought Webcam use to a more mainstream audience. Most laptops now come with integrated webcams, and external USB webcams can be had at very affordable prices. We take a look at three webcams in this review: A Dell integrated Webcam, and budget webcams from Creative and Logitech. [Read Full Review]

Logitech G9 Laser Mouse

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:10:32 -0700

For a while, Logitech was making mice with relatively unchanging design cues. Their MX500, MX510, MX518, and G5 mice all had the same basic design, albeit with incremental improvements in features. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as the design of those mice was clearly well done, but there was never an urgent need to upgrade. Perhaps realizing this, Logitech went back to the drawing board to come up with a radical new design. With the introduction of the Logitech G9, there is a new flavor in the mix. Click through to find out more. [Read Full Review]

Inspiron 1525 15.4" Widescreen Laptop Computer

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:44:50 -0700

The Dell Inspiron 1525 Laptop is Dell's mid-range productivity laptop offering, with a standard 15.4" LCD that is the sweet spot for productivity as well as portability. It doesn't have the exciting design that the XPS series laptops have, but what it lacks in design it tries to make up with simplicity. Is the Inspiron 1525 the right laptop for your needs? Read on to see our take on this laptop. [Read Full Review]

Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:48:21 -0700

The first iteration of the Logitech G15 features 18 physical keys, a tilting LCD, and a Volume Knob. But Logitech has given the G15 a facelift, integrating the LCD into the keyboard frame and switching to a 6-key 3-profile layout (more on that later). Will its new look win us over? Click through to find out. [Read Full Review]

Dell XPS M1530 15.4" Laptop Computer

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:16:31 -0700

The 15.4" screen size is the bread-and-butter size for most laptop manufacturers, and Dell is no exception. This fact is made even more true when you consider the premium line of notebooks that is the XPS brand. In past years, Dell simply re-branded their consumer notebook line to fill separate niches (as is the case with the Vostro). I'm glad they didn't take this approach with their first foray into the XPS notebooks. The resulting line of notebooks includes the XPS M1530, a radical departure in design & style from their heretofore vanilla notebooks. [Read Full Review]

JawBone 2 Wireless Bluetooth Headset

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 13:07:20 -0700

Our current top picks for Bluetooth headsets are the NextLink AX2 and the original Jawbone. With the California cell phone law in effect since July 1st (and our offices being in San Francisco), we decided to test the latest Jawbone 2 to see if it is a worthy upgrade from the highly rated original Jawbone. Click through to see the results of our testing. [Read Full Review]

Powermonkey eXplorer Solar Charger

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:15:21 -0700

The PowerMonkey eXplorer is marketed as a backup power supply to give your gadgets an extra boost of battery power. With modern gadgetry placing ever increasing demands for portable power, the PowerMonkey eXplorer Solar Charger comes at just the right time to save you from running out of juice while away from a wall outlet. The standard price is about $110, but when they started offering a whopping $100 rebate on it (bringing the price to $10 AR), I had to pick one up to give it try. [Read Full Review]

Logitech MX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:31:45 -0700

The first Logitech MX-series wireless mouse was the Logitech MX-700. That eventually evolved into the MX-900, with the same form factor except with Bluetooth. But now, they have the MX Revolution. The name itself implies that it will be completely different from previous versions, but will the MX Revolution truly be revolutionary? Click through to find out. [Read Full Review]