Sabrent 512GB Rocket Nano External Aluminum SSD Review

The Sabrent Rocket Nano arrived in a bespoke metal tin with the SSD packed tightly into a blue foam cut-out, it came with two black connection leads, a USB-C to USB-C and a USB type A to USB-C in the other section of the tin.

My first impressions was how small it was fitting easily into the palm of my hand and aseptically the sandblasted aluminium finish looks really nice along with a good solid protection for the internals, the tin case it comes in is a neat presentation box and a storage case if not being used.

I hooked it up to the laptop I plan to use this with which is running Windows 10 and has USB 3.0 ports, the Rocket Nano has a built in USB 3.2 so I was aware I would not be able to achieve the maximum speeds capable running from USB 3.2 to USB 3.2 but wanted to get a real true test of the speeds I could expect in circumstances I would be using it in.

This is plug and play on Windows 10 so was instantly recognised assigning a drive letter, I ran through several tests using CrystalDiskMark which is accepted as a good simple and reliable disk benchmark software, I ran tests under the default setting, peak performance and a real world peak performance mix, I got very acceptable results across the board with the expected drop of in transfer speeds being perfectly acceptable and allowing for running from USB 3.2 to USB 3.0.

Overall a very nice tiny sleek SSD drive, it has a very sturdy aluminium case that not only looks great but gives good protection to the internals, it delivers very acceptable speeds for an external SSD drive and comes in a neat presentation/carry case. I can’t really fault it so have given it top marks.

• SUPPORTS - Designed to work with both Windows and Mac OS, so you can transfer data between almost any computer in the world. Complies with trim, UASP, and firmware is upgradable.
• PLUG & PLAY - OS independent, and fully bus powered, No drivers required.
• SPEED - Ultra-fast 10Gbps throughput, low latency and power efficient. At up to 1000MB/s,
• DESIGN - Ultra slim aluminum alloy sandblasted shell. Sleek, Durable, and Convenient. Portable yet durable, ideal for traveling.
• USE - Perfect for a variety of uses including data transfer, high-speed storage, data backup, and more.

Price: £99.99

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SID & VAIN Real Leather Laptop Bag Review

This arrived in simple box containing the leather bag in a plastic sleeve and being protected by a branded material draw string bag, a simple added detail but also a nice touch and an indication of the attention to finishing and presentation.

First impressions on opening it up was the distinctive leather feel and smell along with instant look of quality and vintage effect to the bag, the detachable and adjustable shoulder strap was contained within the bag which is easy to adjust and clip on and off as required.

I really gave the bag a good look over checking all the stitching and finishing not finding any faults, flaws or bad finishing. This is an ideal size for my large laptop which fits perfectly in the removable padded bespoke compartment and also gives me confidence it is well protected, the additional compartments are a good size and ideal for large documents, folders and a plenty of room for additional items.

I like the vintage effect of the bag, it really captures it well being leather rather than another material the beauty of this will be retained as it gathers wear during use adding and enhancing the vintage look, this is not thin leather with a cheap feel at all and it will certainly put up with robust daily use.

Overall I really like this bag and love the vintage look, it is a good size and comes with a very sturdy detachable carry strap, the overall finishing is superb and I really can’t fault it so have given top marks.

• REAL NATURAL LEATHER... 100% genuine top-grade calf leather, naturally tanned. The more you wear the bag, the more wonderful its vintage-effect gets. Proof of its quality it that you can easily rub away little scratches.
• SMART ALL-AROUND - WITH PADDED LAPTOP COMPARTMENT: This beautiful and smart laptop bag is also perfect for business, work, university or school as briefcase, satchel,notebook bag, tablet bag, business bag for DIN4 norm or Apple iMacBook/Air.
• EASILY ORGANISED… measures 40 x 30 x 8 cm | up to 15,6" + DIN A4 file | quick access to your things | store and organise all your belongings together, you can even carry your laptop, DIN A4 file, iPad…
• ADJUSTS FOR COMFORT... the detachable and adjustable shoulder strap ensures a pleasant wearing comfort: perfect as a shoulder bag, bicycle bag, messenger bag, college bag, satchel, casual bag, office bag, city bag, crossover bag or laptop bag | Closure: Zip | The high-quality metal zipper is smooth and easy to open and close.
• MADE WITH LOVE: 100% handmade product, excellent stitching and manufacturing, this genuine leather item will be your loyal companion for any occasions. 

Price: £99.90

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Graco Evo Pushchair inc. Apron and Raincover Review

This arrived in a Graco branded box tightly packed inside with plastic, foam and bespoke cardboard sections protecting all the parts from damage and damaging each other along with the assembly and part identification instructions.

After opening it all up and setting out all the parts I started the assembly, this was fairly straight forward clipping on the front wheels and the only real fiddly bit was putting in the holding pins for securing the rear wheels, most other parts just clipped into place as with the bumper bar and rear bar with the brake section and it took around 15 minutes to complete start to finish.

The high quality of finishing on the pushchair runs right through top to bottom with no loose threads or bad stitching on any of the material parts or any bad finishing, rough or sharp edges on any part of the pushchair frame or wheels.

The folding of the frame and unfolding is a very simple action and can be closed one handed, it can be closed without removing the top section but I found it much easier to remove the top section and then fold it as keeping it in one does not save any space and as the top section is so easy to remove I find it a better way of folding it.

The three position reclining works very well and is simple and quick to adjust, I liked the design of the bumper bar being able to swivel out of the way making it easy to take the baby in and out not having to lift them upwards to do so, the adjustable handle and calf support mechanisms adjust very smoothly and due to their design don’t need great pressure applied to activate unlike with some pushchairs.

Removing and reversing the top section I found really easy just holding two release handles and lifting it off, it then locks back into place when you reverse it, the harness has a good adjustment and locking system, the apron is fairly simple to attach and remove with a long zip system round the outside, the brake system works well and is easy to operate along with having a swivel wheel lock on the front wheels.

• Versatile pushchair with reversible seat and 3 recline positions to lie flat. suitable from birth to 15kg (approx. 3 years)
• Adjustable handle and calf support for added comfort
• One-hand fold mechanism for quick and easy folding
• Click connect travel system compatible with graco snugride/snugessentials isize infant car seats and add the graco evo luxury carrycot for a true lie flat pram (all sold separately)
• Package includes zip-on apron and raincover

Overall a very polished and practical pushchair with good attention to detail and ease of use, all the actions are smooth, the three position reclining adjustment is ideal for baby comfort and easy to adjust without having to remove the baby to do it, I can’t really fault this pushchair it’s obviously been designed with a lot of parental input and it gets top marks from me.

Price: £230.00
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T-Rex Remote Control Light Up Walking Dinosaur Toy Review

This arrived in a nice and colourful box with a carry handle on the top and pictures of the T-rex on the sides, I was slightly concerned I could hear all the parts rattling loose on the inside but nothing was broken or damaged.

After unpacking it there are two Philips head screws you need to remove to put the batteries inside, three in the tail section of the T-rex and two in the remote control, once the batteries were in I set the switch on the back of the remote control to the ‘C’ position inserted the tail section into the main body of the T-rex and switched it on with the small on/off switch on the tail.

The controls are fairly basic but also ideal for a small child to use, it lights up with flashing lights in the mouth and back with the eyes lighting up green, I thought the movement and walking very good along with a loud roar and the little jingle it plays when in dance mode.

The added extras of three plastic dinosaurs, two trees and two rocks is a nice addition to set the theme, my daughter came home from playschool and has played with it for hours over the last few days loving it, I did have concerns it would eat through batteries but it is still going strong on the first set and in total must have been running for over three hours.

Overall simple to set up and get running, the batteries are secured with a Philips head screw so no concerns about a child getting messing with them, the sound and movement is great and loud enough to entertain without being unbearably loud, the flashing lights are good fun, it’s very durable and will put up with a lot of banging about without breaking and best of all my daughter loves it so it gets top marks from me.

Price: £24.99

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HP Spectre x360 13-aw0054na Review

This arrived extremely well packed and protected in branded custom Hewlett Packard box with a smaller box containing the pen stylus and the power pack, the main custom Spectre gold and black box contained the laptop sealed in plastic wrap.

First impressions it has a good weight to it (1.71 Kg) and although probably not everyone’s taste I really like the diamond style cut, the corners taken off and used for a Gen 2 Type-C with Thunderbolt 3 port and power button on the left side, the webcam disable switch is also a good addition avoiding relying on a software disable or even cover tape, the screen is gorilla glass so not only resilient but in my opinion you just can beat a glass display on any device. The keyboard has a good bold font and having used it for over 30 hours now I really like the layout along with the positive feel to the keys, the touch pad works really well and uses Microsoft precision drivers although I opted to use a wireless mouse as I much prefer it.

After unpacking everything I plugged the laptop in and started it up for the first time, it went through the normal Windows 10 setup most of which I chose to set up later apart from linking my Microsoft account and enabling the WiFi connection. After it had finished setting up I went straight to check for Windows updates something I would always recommend as the first thing to do.

The Spectre x360 had quite a few Windows updates to work through which is normal for any new computer out of the box, while the updates processed I did a bit of web browsing along with testing out some 4K video and the display is truly superb with the near border-less display covering 90% of the overall screen even allowing for the infrared facial recognition webcam that uses Windows Hello. After the updates had processed I rebooted the laptop and it also required a bios update, all very straight forward taking very little time.

I was pleased to see it had not been pre-installed with a load of bloat ware programs no one ever uses and trials, the few it did have were either useful or easily removable. I set up the fingerprint reader and that worked well I would say on a par with my phone with a first time success rate of 9/10, I then set up the facial recognition which worked every time but not something I plan to use long term so I then disabled it.

I ran several stress tests along with testing the transfer speeds from USB 3.1 and the USB-C ports with great results on all aspects, you also get a HP Stylus included which charges via a USB-C port and works well for taking notes and simple sketching. I didn’t run any games although I am sure it performs well it isn’t a gaming laptop and does not pretend to be and I won’t be using it for any gaming.

The screen and display is really outstanding with the really deep blacks and vibrant colours and the anti glare feature works very well having tested it outside, the WiFi connectivity is superb and I was able to obtain consistent maximum speeds all around the house.

Overall I really like the design, great battery life with the battery charging from 0% to 50% in under 30 minutes when the system is off and to fully charged in just under two hours, the speed of the machine is great making everything you do almost instant. I have been using the laptop constantly for work and it’s a great workhorse also watching a few films and TV series on it, the display is really beautiful with the 90% display area so it’s great for viewing along with being fold-able to either tablet or stand on its own keyboard at any angle having protective rubber feet to avoid damage and unwanted movement, the Spectre x360 gets top marks from me.

Price: £1,799.99
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LEGO Hidden Side 70431 The Lighthouse of Darkness Review

Fun and entertaining pack, this arrived in a smart custom Lego box covered in scenes from The Lighthouse of Darkness and a letter on the front with an introduction and details on the app, inside it had four numbered packs and the construction manual.

I haven’t assembled anything with Lego for a very long time and it has certainly changed a lot since I was a child so was looking forward to building this, the construction manual is glossy and highly detailed taking you through construction step by step along with details on the application and a full breakdown of included parts in the back.

Assembly was really just a case of carefully following the manual and each page gives the parts needed for the section you are constructing along with arrows indicating its position on the model, the whole thing is broken down into four packs which certainly helped me not get overwhelmed with parts and searching for the ones I needed.

Everything slotted together perfectly and I didn’t have any issues with the construction, I left the stickers placement until after it was built but really should have attached them during construction as it would have been easier. The Lego app will only run on certain devices and would not install on either my android phone or my iphone 6 but installed on my wife’s newer model iphone.

• Features a three floors digitally interactive lighthouse with a cliff, rocks, a jetty and a jet ski, combining single or multiplayer gaming
• The lighthouse model comes to life when viewed through a smart device equipped with the LEGO AR app, kids get to explore and solve mysteries
• Includes 5 real world minifigures: Jack, Parker, Skeleton, Jennie Napo and Claus Stormward, for players to battle boss ghost Joe Ishmael
• The augmented reality (AR) play experience is constantly enhanced through new content, ghosts and special events for endless gaming fun
• The experience has been extended with multiplayer option; compatible with 180+ OS and Android devices - check product description for details

Overall I was very impressed with the whole thing, it was fun to make, the manual was very well thought out and made construction as easy as possible, the end result was solid and sturdy with all the moving parts working smoothly as they should and my daughters have really enjoyed playing with it so it gets top marks from me.

Price: £43.56
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Mr Potato Head E4763802 Playskool Talking Toy Review

Mr Potato Head arrived in a nice custom box, the toy is by default set in demo mode with a small cut out in the front to press one of the buttons and set it going, Mr Potato Head is well packed and secured in the box with the mouth having extra plastic ties to keep it in place and the additional mouth secured in the bottom of the box.

This has a good weight to it not feeling flimsy or easy to break and it comes with three AA batteries already fitted which you can change by removing a small Philips head screw on the back, all the parts are easy for a child to remove and replace and although there is no volume setting I think they got the volume of the toy just about right not being too loud or too quiet as not to be heard.

I gave Mr Potato Head to my four year old daughter and she really liked it removing and replacing the parts in different places, changing the mouth and dancing round to it singing.

• Talking, Singing Toy: The Mr Potato Head Movin' Lips Electronic toy features sounds, songs and silly moving lips; he sings his own version of the hit Lips Are Movin' by Meghan Trainor
• Over 40 Phrases and Songs: Kids aren't the only ones who will be entertained by this interactive Mr Potato Head toy, featuring over 40 phrases and 4 song parodies
• Includes 10 Pieces: The Mr Potato Head Movin' Lips toy Includes 10 Pieces including two sets of lips, so kids can create funny Looks for their favourite spud, batteries Included
• Most Parts Work with Other Mr Potato Head Toys: Most parts are compatible with other Mr Potato Head and Mrs Potato Head toys (Each Sold separately)
• Loved for Generations: The Mr Potato Head Character is a classic toy for kids, the toys make ideal birthday presents and gifts for both boys and girls

Overall a good solid entertaining toy for young children, it comes with batteries fitted and although they say they are just demo batteries they are still going strong, no small parts a child could swallow and sturdy enough to withstand a lot of rough handling, it has quite a good variety of different things it says and sings and the moving mouth is entertaining, for me it delivers on all aspects so I have given it full marks.

Price: £10.40
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Tower T867000WHT 12 Piece Dinnerware Set Review

This arrived well packed and secured separated into three boxes within a Tower branded larger box, after opening it all up I gave the plates and bowels a good look over for any defects, I could not find any faults with the pattern or finishing which looked consistent and everything matched.

The bowels are for us an ideal size for breakfast cereal or soup, the smaller plates a good size for snacks and the dinner plate a reasonable size for a main meal, looks wise the contrast with the black and gold on the smaller plate and white and gold on the larger plate and bowl is a nice.

We don’t have a dishwasher so it is not an issue for us but it’s worth noting they say not to clean these in a dishwasher, the plates are fairly thin and I would have liked them to be slightly thicker as they feel more delicate than the plates we normally use, this is not the case with the bowls which are thicker.

Overall a nice looking dinner set with the colours and contrast of colours matching well, I am not sure these are intended for everyday use and would be more suitable for a dinner party or Sunday dinner, the fact they are not to be put in a dishwasher may be an issue for some and they say not to use them in the microwave presumably because of the gold in the pattern but apart from that I do think it’s a nice set. 

• Dinnerware set includes dinner plates, side plates and bowls to cater to your every meal of the day
• High quality porcelain presents lightweight dinnerware offering strength and durability through everyday use
• Rose gold geometric patterning presents a highly styled feature to the dinner table
• Hand wash recommended to maintain the premium appearance and performance. Do not microwave or clean via the dishwasher
• 1 year customer warranty as standard

Price: £35.99

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