Product Reviews:
Reviews From All Categories:
Desktops
very good
11/18/2008
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Price:
$1,499.00
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$1,499.00
Specs:
Intel, 6 GB, GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-Bit
The Bottom Line
You can find flashier PCs than Dell's $1,299 Studio XPS, but few have as much power where it counts. We don't recommend its small, pared-down case for upgraders, but this PC will satisfy anyone who needs a loaded, powerful PC for gaming and consumer-level digital media editing.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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very good
11/14/2008
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Price:
$1,249.99
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$1,249.99
Specs:
Intel Core i7 920 (2.6 GHz), 2.6 GHz, 3 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 750 GB, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 64 Bit
The Bottom Line
With lots of useful features (some cleverly hidden), Gateway's FX6800-01e stands out from the boring mainstream pack. It also uses Intel's new CPU and motherboard combination to provide speed and upgradeability. You can find faster PCs for a similar price, but few with this much promise.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Digital cameras
very good
11/16/2008
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Price:
$391.99
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$391.99
Specs:
Compact, 3.2 megapixels, 3 x, 1.5 in LCD display, 1 x 16 MB - SD Memory Card
The Bottom Line
This compact Lumix can give you excellent 3-megapixel photo quality at a bargain price, but you'll have to put up with its poky performance.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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good
11/15/2008
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Price:
$299.99
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$299.99
Specs:
Compact, 5.1 megapixels, 3 x, 1.5 in LCD display, - Integrated
The Bottom Line
Although a great camera for newbies who need their hands held, the R707's photos aren't too impressive.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Laptops
ok
10/30/2008
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Price:
$465.99
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$465.99
Specs:
Intel Atom (1.6 GHz), 1024 MB DDR II SDRAM, 2.65 lbs, 10.2 in TFT active matrix, Windows XP Home Edition
The Bottom Line
Two hours of battery life is simply not enough for the otherwise unobjectionable and basic Averatec Buddy Netbook.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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excellent
10/29/2008
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Price:
$1,049.99
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$1,049.99
Specs:
Intel Core 2 Duo (2.26 GHz), 4 GB DDR SDRAM, 5.7 lbs, 14.1 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
The Bottom Line
The Asus X83VM-X1 is a well-rounded 14-inch mainstream laptop. It boasts a pleasing design (aside from the stiff, loud mouse buttons), and excellent application performance and 3D graphics performance for the money.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Routers
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Price:
$89.99
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$145.94
The Bottom Line
The Belkin N+ Wireless Router is a great performer with excellent range and throughput speed. If its bulky design and lack of 5GHz frequency support don't put you off, the router is worth every penny of its $100 or so price tag.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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External Hard Drives
good
10/23/2008
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Price:
$261.85
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$299.99
Specs:
Iomega StorCenter Ix2 Network Storage - NAS server, 1 TB, PC, Mac, RJ-45, 4 pin USB Type A, Standard, Ethernet, Hi-Speed USB, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet
The Bottom Line
The Iomega StorCenter ix2 is a two-drive NAS device that offers Bluetooth support but no remote access via the Web. We don't like the fact that you can't access its two hard drives, but it still holds appeal for novice users looking for a dead simple NAS drive.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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PDAs
ok
1/7/2008
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Price:
$195.99
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$319.99
Specs:
1 GB, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, 5.2 in x 0.8 in x 2.6 in, Stylus, Keyboard
The Bottom Line
The Sony Mylo Communicator 2 is a huge improvement over its predecessor, but the Wi-Fi handheld will have a hard time competing with the similarly priced and better featured iPhones, Sidekicks, and Helio Oceans of the cellular world.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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ok
1/7/2008
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Price:
$195.99
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$299.99
Specs:
1 GB, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, 5.2 in x 0.8 in x 2.6 in, Stylus, Keyboard
The Bottom Line
The Sony Mylo Communicator 2 is a huge improvement over its predecessor, but the Wi-Fi handheld will have a hard time competing with the similarly priced and better featured iPhones, Sidekicks, and Helio Oceans of the cellular world.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Game Accessories
very good
11/10/2008
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Price:
$29.99
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$29.99
Specs:
External, Game console, AAA type, Game pad, Wireless
The Bottom Line
The Nyko Wing Wireless Classic Controller is a must-have accessory for Wii owners who play a lot of Virtual Console games as it improves on the Nintendo original in almost every way.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Compact Photo Printers
very good
10/24/2008
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Price:
$139.00
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$139.00
Specs:
Compact photo printer - Dye sublimation - Color, 4 in x 7 in, Wired, 1.5 min/page, PC, Mac, USB
The Bottom Line
Top-notch prints and easy operation makes this the photo printer of choice for compatible Kodak cameras. It does have a few drawbacks, though.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Radios
very good
11/19/2008
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Price:
$166.61
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$166.61
Specs:
Clock radio, FM, Stereo, LCD
The Bottom Line
Altec Lansing's InMotion Moondance Glow iM402 clock radio distinguishes itself with mood lighting, a special RF snooze remote, and good sound in a compact package.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Headphones
ok
11/13/2008
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Price:
$89.49
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$89.95
The Bottom Line
The Skullcandy Double Agent headphones offer a unique and stylized all-in-one design, but they're not particularly comfortable, and sound quality is subpar. Unless your main goal is to do away with wires and stand out from the crowd, these are not the best option.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Compact Photo Printers
very good
10/24/2008
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Price:
$139.00
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$139.00
Specs:
Compact photo printer - Dye sublimation - Color, 4 in x 7 in, Wired, 1.5 min/page, PC, Mac, USB
The Bottom Line
Top-notch prints and easy operation makes this the photo printer of choice for compatible Kodak cameras. It does have a few drawbacks, though.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Multifunction Devices
good
10/2/2008
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Price:
$209.00
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$406.92
Specs:
Fax, Copier, Printer, Scanner, Ink-jet, 4800 dpi
The Bottom Line
The Epson Artisan 800 produces impressive color prints, photos, and text documents, and it outpaces the competition in almost all of our speed tests. We're impressed by its performance, but hesitate to recommend this printer based on the poor build quality and error-prone software.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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Flash Memory Cards
good
10/30/2008
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Price:
$369.99
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$399.99
The Bottom Line
The inexpensive price of the Patriot Warp V.2 helps it stand out among solid-state hard drives, but its performance shows few significant benefits over normal hard disks. You'd be better off buying a fast 7,200rpm laptop hard drive or selling your firstborn to invest in the Intel X-25M SSD.© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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