Tech Reviews, Tips, and Tricks

All apologies for the delay between updates (two months!), partially because of the Holidays, partially because I am un-optimized and inefficient at multi-tasking 🙂 This was requested by multiple people, so here it is, screenshots after running the CPU-Z software, version 1.74.0 x64. The following are screenshots of various sub-tabs from CPU-Z.

We start with the CPU, as expected, this is a Skylake i5-6400, with 4 cores and 4 threads. Right after that is a screenshot of the “Caches” tab.

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I have now been using it for about three weeks and completed the transfer of most of the files and functionality from my previous desktop, so these are my findings, by using the PC for on-going tasks. Measureables and benchmarks will come in separate posts (there’s already a request for CPU-Z, so that’s coming later). I will also have a future post where I try many different things for testing purposes.

In This Post
* performance
* Firefox
* Keyboard and Mouse
* Problems/Issues: Intel Driver, HDD/VGA, Bluetooth

FAST: my previous desktop was a dual-core 4GB RAM Windows 7. This is definitely a performance improvement, to the point where I am now lagging behind the computer, while with the previous PC, I had to wait for the PC to catch up with me. Firefox starts near instantly, countless open windows and tabs do not phase it. The only time I had a slowdown was when the annoying Windows 10 Update process decided to start a major update (I turned it on, but hadn’t used the PC for 20+ minutes, so probably Windows thought this was a good time to start upgrading).

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In Part #1. we unboxed the PC. In Part #2, we described what happens when you turn it on for the first time. In this post, we take a look at the specs and some technical details.

If you are looking for something specific, please leave a comment and I’ll add it. There’s a lot of info available to fill many pages…

NOTE: this post was written on this brand new PC, the first piece of “productive work” it has been used for. The included keyboard is driving me crazy, it’s messing up my touch-typing hand alignment, especially on the middle-right and right of the main typing area (not the arrow/keypad area). I’ll give it more time to see if my hands-brain combo adjusts to it.

UPDATE: Part #4 should be coming sometime before 11/3/15 10/30/15, so stay tuned…

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In Part #1, we unboxed the ASUS M32CD. In this post, we have a brief description of what happens when you turn it on for the first time. To keep things moving fast, I did not take many screenshots or pictures (otherwise it would have taken 3X longer to get it up and running).

We start with some TL;DR type of info first, and then have a recount of the near step-by-step process of getting it up and running.

NOTE:To keep the various apps and processes under control, I did not connect the PC to the internet during the first boot. I did that later on, after I finished set-up and making settings adjustments (Metro Settings and Control Panel).

SURPRISE: there were no crapware apps installed at all! The biggest pestery apps were Microsoft’s own, Cortana, OneDrive, etc. That’s right, the Windows Desktop had only one icon, the Trashcan. The Windows button menu had a handful of live tiles but again, no trialware.

The taskbar too was modestly decorated with only these: the Search box with Cortana activated, Task View, Edge browser, File Manager, and the Windows Store. You can use the Windows Store without logging in to a Windows account, but obviously you need one if you want to $pay$ for apps or start subscriptions.

Despite the McAfee mentions in the licensing terms, there’s no McAfee installed on the PC. The Windows Defender is turned on and the default firewall and anti-virus and anti-malware software for this device.

You don’t even get any of the ASUS apps you find on ASUS laptops!

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Welcome to the first part of a developing multi-part review of the Windows 10 ASUS M32CD Desktop PC. In this post, we take a look at what’s inside the box, and highlight some of the things that may not be obvious from the product description at Amazon.com and other places. The pictures here were taken in a hurry (I hadn’t turned it on yet!), so please excuse them (these are not intended to be product marketing pictures after all).

WHAT’S INSIDE THE BOX?

• the Desktop, wrapped in a thin wrapper, taped (annoyingly) at the bottom – remove the thin wrapper carefully if you don’t want to tear it (if you are a perfectionist)
• a cardboard pizza-style box that includes
  • the USB optical mouse
  • the AC adapter (sealed in bag)
  • paperwork
    • warranty
    • very basic Starter Guide
    • paper begging not to return it at first sign of trouble
• the wired keyboard in its own cardboard case
• rust protection paper on the side of the PC
• protective tape on the face of the PC and bottom front edge
• video cable is NOT included (you have to use your own VGA or HDMI cable)

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