BensBargains.net Latest Reviews

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, 7 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, 3 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]

Dell XPS M1330 13.3" Laptop Computer

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:01:07 -0700

The recently introduced XPS M1330 Laptop marks a distinct change for Dell, going from bland generic do-all design to a more radical and stylish approach. In this review we take a look at a fairly loaded XPS M1330. If you've been wanting to take a closer look at this little laptop, read on for our full review. [Read Full Review]

Creative Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:55:47 -0700

Our last headset review looked at the AudioFX Pro 5+1 by BenHeck (no relation), which left us impressed by its sound quality and comfort. This time, we're going to examine the Creative Fatal1ty Gaming Headset, endorsed by Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel. How did they compare? Click through to find out. [Read Full Review]

Leatherman 830850 Skeletool CX Multitool

Thu, 5 Jun 2008 14:35:07 -0700

Leatherman has a long history of producing high quality multi-tools. Their Skeletool & Skeletool CX, introduced in late 2007, marks a distinct departure from the smooth designs that they've had since the early 80's with their PST. The Skeletool CX is a minimalist's multi-tool, with a knife, pliers, screwdriver, and most importantly, a bottle opener. [Read Full Review]

Motorola H700 Bluetooth Headset

Thu, 29 May 2008 13:25:46 -0700

Continuing our examination of "tiny headsets," we decided to check out the Motorola H700. The device itself, when closed, is fairly compact but the clunky earpiece (which must be used) and the flip-open mic gives this device a bigger footprint. Click through to see our thoughts on this bluetooth headset. [Read Full Review]

Samsung Mini Bluetooth Headset WEP500

Thu, 22 May 2008 13:35:57 -0700

Bluetooth headsets have been available for a few years now, and recently there have been some certifiably tiny headsets on the market. Here we take a look at Samsung's diminutive WEP-500 Bluetooth headset. Its footprint is only slightly larger than a quarter, plus it's shinier. [Read Full Review]

eDimensional AudioFX Pro 5+1 Headset by BenHeck

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:27:23 -0700

Stereo headsets are a great way to enjoy your music, games or movies without disturbing those around you. But with surround sound and all the 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 home theater systems that exist these days, a mere stereo headset seems to be an inadequate replacement. Over the past few years several manufacturers have tried (and mostly failed) to produce quality 5.1 headphones. So how did the eDimensional AudioFX Pro 5+1 Headset sound to our iPod-deafened ears? Click through to find out. [Read Full Review]

Motorola RAZR2 V9m CDMA Cell Phone

Thu, 8 May 2008 14:32:56 -0700

How many of you own or have owned a Motorola RAZR phone? Probably a lot of you, judging by the popularity of the original RAZR over the past few years. I recently had the chance to upgrade to a new phone, so I decided to give the new Motorola RAZR V9m (aka the RAZR2) a try. Check out the full review for my ruthless take on this phone. [Read Full Review]

Logitech VX Nano Cordless Notebook Mouse

Thu, 1 May 2008 14:55:13 -0700

Bluetooth has been all the rage recently with all the accessories being released, from headsets, headphones, mice, and more. Surprisingly, Logitech decided to break from the trend and make their newest performance notebook mouse using RF technology. Although a bluetooth mouse is nice to have since most new notebooks can be configured with built-in bluetooth, we were less than impressed with Logitech's latest V470 Bluetooth Mouse. RF is a tried and true technology for pointing devices, so the question is, does the Logitech VX Nano live up to our expectations? [Read Full Review]

TomTom GO 920T GPS with Bluetooth & FM

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:30:23 -0700

Having recently reviewed the mid-range Garmin Nuvi 360 as well as the low-end Magellan Maestro 3210, switching to the top of the line TomTom GO 920T promised to be a significant upgrade. This is TomTom's current top of the line GPS navigation system, with a dizzying array of features including Bluetooth, FM Transmitter, Enhanced Positioning Technology, Voice Input, Traffic, Map Share, and lots more. Does the TomTom GO 920T live up to its lofty specs? Read on to find out. [Read Full Review]

HPI Racing Savage X 4.6 RTR Monster Truck

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:11:52 -0700

I’ve owned a couple of RC cars over the years, starting with the Team Associated RC10 1:10 Buggy that was all the rage in the early 90’s. After a break of about a decade, I decided to revisit the RC scene, but this time with a vehicle of a distinctly different pedigree. I was looking for something with substantial power and ready to run out of the box. After looking around and comparing prices and features, I decided to purchase the HPI Racing Savage X 4.6 Nitro Monster Truck, which can be had for about $400. [Read Full Review]