CraftComputing

A home server, the easy way! Terra Master F2-221 Mini NAS Review

I've done a fair amount of home server and network content, but what if you just want to run a couple home services without the fuss of a full server?  Check out the Terra Master F2-221 Home and Small Business NAS.

But first... What am I drinking???

Benediktiner Hell Helles Lagerbier (Klosterbrauerei Ettal / Ettaler Klosterbetriebe GmbH, Deutschland).  A Bavarian-style lager.  Fantastic flavor, very smooth.  A beer you could drink all day, every day.  5.0%...

EVGA Z10 Keyboard, and how to RUIN your website - Friday Flights

On today's Friday Flight, we're exploring how NOT to implement Google search on your website.  I also happen to be reviewing the EVGA Z10 Gaming Mechanical Keyboard.

But first... What am I drinking???

Elysian (Seattle, WA) Def Leppard Pale Ale (6%).  Honestly, this isn't a terrible Pale Ale, but it's certainly not what I expected from a Pale.  It reminds me of Budweiser... there's a bit of a rice-y taste to it.  It's in my opinion not a great Pale Ale, but a gr...

A motherboard for Content Creators???

Choosing the right motherboard as a gamer can be a difficult experience... and even worse when you're looking for a more professional workflow.  Today we're going to take a look at the MSI MEG X299 Creation motherboard built for content creators, and see what additional features it has, and if it's worth the $599 asking price.

But first... What am I drinking???

Today's brew is from Ninkasi down in Eugene, OR, and I believe it's a new seasonal release for them. &nbs...

A different kind of post

There's been some discussion around this topic lately, and I wanted to get your opinions.  My Patreon is currently set up to charge per creation (video post, not including TH shows).  I have only been charging for the first video posted each month.  I am thinking about moving to a per-video charge, which would be $1 per video for most of you.

With this change, you are more than welcome to set a max $ contribution for each month.  Unless there is a huge backlash to th...

SteamOS Revisit - Valve Strikes Back!!!

You asked for it, here it is.  This is a look at SteamOS, or more accurately, Steam on Ubuntu with the help of Steam Play.  The Beta version of Steam Play and Proton allows you to play your library of Windows games inside of Linux... but does it work?

But first... What am I drinking???

Beer, it's not just for dinner anymore.  Today's brew is the Sweet Heart Waffle Mountain from Pipeworks (Chicago, IL).  A 9% Stout, brewed with breakfast inspired spic...

A 2018 build in 2019... How much cheaper is it???

January 2018 began one of the darkest times in PC enthusiast history.  Between memory prices, GPU unavailability, and a bit of stagnation in the market, it was a rough year to build a PC.  How much better is the pricing in 2019???

But first... What am I drinking???

Today it's a wintertime favorite, Bifrost from Elisian.  It's a seasonal winter ale clocking in at 8.3% ABV.  A very good malty flavor with a light bodied feel.  Fantastic ...

nVidia Supports FreeSync... But does it work???

On January 15, nVidia released driver version 417-71, which enabled G-Sync support on existing FreeSync monitors.  This will apply to all nVidia 10xx and 20xx series cards.  But does it work???

But first... What am I drinking???

In a first on the show, I'm drinking a Gluten Free beer.  And this one was surprisingly good.  It's Ground Breaker Brewing (Portland) Epoch Fresh Hop IPA.  This is one dank, grassy, and hop-centric IPA.  Remember, t...

Fractal Design Meshify S2... The PERFECT Mid-Tower???

Introducing the Fractal Design Meshify S2.  This is the largest Meshify case yet, and has stolen some features from both the Define R6 and S2 cases... but is it a combo that works?

But first... What am I drinking???

Oh boy oh boy oh boy we have a good one today.  If you are a fan of stouts, this is just pure happiness in a glass.  I'm talking of course about the Goose Island (Chicago, IL) Bourbon County Stout (2016, 14.5% ABV).  This is the standard stout from ...

CES 2019 Days 2-5... and not enough coffee...

This is our final video from CES 2019, and it was an absolute blast.  Huge thanks to everyone who took the time to talk to us.  We met a ton of great people, saw some amazing (and some not so great) tech, and had a heck of a time doing it.  See you next year, Vegas!!!

But before all that... What am I drinking???

Back at home base, I'm a Two Brothers (Warrenville, IL) Les Bon Temps, a 4-year Foudre-aged Brett Double IPA.  Super fruity on the nose, but no citrus ...

Day 0 from CES 2019

Our first two days in Vegas have been a blast!  Here's our reaction to the press conferences from nVidia, MSI, and Gigabyte from CES 2019.

But first... What are we drinking???

Not pictured in the video, but the list from Day 0 includes a couple Moscow Mules, a Hangar 24 Orange Wheat Pale Ale, and a Brooklyn Oktoberfest Marzen.  So far, the drinks have all been fantastic!

Find the parts I recommend on my Amazon store: 2019-01-08 19:05:46 +0000 UTC View Post

PiMax 5K Plus!!! Review and Performance Testing!

It's finally here!!!  The PiMax 5k Plus Virtual Reality headset is now shipping, but how much of an improvement is it over the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift?

But first... What are WE drinking???

Superfan Skaal sent over a pair of Confluence Brewing (Des Moines, IA) 5th Anniversary Porter, 2017 edition.  It's a porter infused with cold-brewed, dark roasted Costa Rican coffee from Fredrich's Coffee.  If that wasn't good enough, it also spent 10 months in bourbon barrels. &n...

Whats In My Camera Kit???

I've been meaning to do a camera gear overview for quite sometime, and have finally got a kit together that I'm happy to show off.  But first...

What am I drinking???

 Today I'm having an Electric Rattlesnake from Pipeworks Brewing (Chicago, IL).  It's a Black Barleywine fermented in Oak.  I'll be honest, there really weren't any individual flavors that stood out to me, but this was a solid brew.  Deep, rich, and very flavorful.  9% ABV

Check ou...

$90 Programmable Mechanical Keyboard - Viper V765 Review

Finding a mechanical keyboard with this much functionality usually comes with a hefty price tag to go along with it.  The Viper V765 features Kailh White Clicky switches, an aluminum top plate, individual per-key RGB lighting, and 103-key programmability.  At just $90, are there any drawbacks???

But first... What am I drinking???

Ninkasi (Eugene, OR) Sleigh'R Winter Ale (7.2%).  Described as a perfectly balanced winter ale with hoppy bitterness and a roasted malty f...

The 100Hz Juggernaut! BenQ EX3501R Gaming Review

The BenQ EX3501R is a 35" Ultrawide monitor designed for gaming, with a 100Hz refresh rate, HDR, and AMD FreeSync support.  How well do the specs hold up, and should you buy one?

But first... What am I drinking???

Sticking with the winter theme for the month, today I'm having the Hazelnutty Choctabulous from Rogue (Newport, OR).  A mix of their standard Hazelnut Brown Ale and Chocolate Stouts.  It's supposed to be a 'candy bar in a bottle", but for me the flavors just didn...

Huanan Dual X79 Gaming Benchmarks

The Huanan Dual X79 saga continues.  If you're looking for a ballin' workstation or home server, it's hard to go wrong with 16-Cores and 64GB of ECC memory.  But what about as a gaming system?

But first... What am I drinking???

Rogue (Newport, OR) Fruit Salad Cider.  TL;DW (review at the end), give it time and let it warm up.  And don't expect cider.  6.4%.

Check out the DeepCool Gammax GT CPU cooler: 2018-11-27 08:33:44 +0000 UTC View Post

Server 'Room' Rebuild Work-vlog

Slowly but surely over the past 18 months, I've been working on putting together a TRUE home server setup.  Today, I'm making the biggest leap forward yet.

But first... What am I drinking???

Gatorade Blue Cherry.  Because I started at 9am on a Saturday... Finished the day with an Ace of Spades from HUB (Portland, OR).  An 8.6% IPA with 100 IBUs.  Absolutely fantastic NW-Style IPA.  Get one if you can.

Find the parts I recomm...

Friday Flights! Xiaomi RGB Gaming Mechanical Keyboard

 I wish I could tell you what switch was used in this Xiaomi Mechanical Keyboard.  It's not quite linear, and not quite tactile.  And it's a feel that's definitely unique, but is it any good? 

But first... What am I drinking???

Today it's the Ballistic Blonde Belgian-Style Blonde Ale from Lucky Town Brewing (Jackson, MS).

Meh. 

Check out the Xiaomi RGB Gaming Mechanical Keyboard here: 2018-10-27 02:45:52 +0000 UTC View Post

Brand New EK Velocity CPU Waterblocks!

The EK Supremacy Waterblocks have been on the market for nearly six years!  Check out the all new Velocity Waterblocks and find out what's changed.

But first... What am I drinking???

Abita Brewing (Abita Springs, LA) Andygator.  An 8% Helles Doppelbock.

The all new EK Velocity waterblocks are available for Intel 115x, 2011 and 2066, or AMD AM2/3 and AM4.  A number of finishes and styles are available as well, from basic Acetal + Nicke...

EPIC Dishonored Case Mod... Finally Revealed!

 At QuakeCon 2018, I had the opportunity to take place in a Staff vs Staff case modding competition with the crew over at Modders-Inc.com.  This was my entry.

But first... What am I drinking???

Rogue (Newport, OR) awesome Combat Wombat.  A sour Northeast-style IPA with Blood Orange and Grapefruit.  A bit creamy and very smooth, with all of that citrus flavor right up front.  Very good.  7.2% 49 IBU.

First, a HUGE shout-out to the sponsors of the Staff ...

Dear Mr. The Verge... It's not that hard

The Verge took a stab at building a custom PC last week.  And while it turned on, it reeeally shouldn't have been a tutorial.

This isn't necessarily a reaction video... more of a counter-build video.  This is what the Verge custom PC should have looked like when finished.  In this quasi tutorial, I go through the proper tools you'll need, proper handling and installation of many key components, and the finer points of thermal paste application.

What am I drinking?

To...

$40 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard! The Velocifire TKL02 WS

Now until September 23, you can use this Amazon coupon code to get 10% off the purchase of a Velocifire TKL02: N4I57MML

Here's where you can buy both the wired and wireless versions of the TKL02: https://amzn.to/2CTkIOM

A wireless mechanical keyboard everyone can afford?  Today, I'm taking a look at Velocifire's new TKL02 WS... and 87-key Wireless board with Outemu brown mechanical switches.  But is it any good???<...

Addressable RGB Fan Roundup - Part 2

High quality fans can be the difference in your system performing up to its potential, and RGB obviously adds 10 FPS to every game you play.  But when you buy an RGB fan kit, are you getting higher quality fans, or just some flashing lights?

But first... What am I drinking???

A friend of mine brought me back a Lil' Miss Sour from Chandeleur Island Brewing in Mississippi.  It's a sour tangerine ale and, while still very tart on the front, is super smooth and sweet on the finish....

Interview with Overload Developer

Few games are as timeless as Descent, and thankfully for us, the original developers have made a spiritual successor to to it in Overload.

All of the original elements to Descent are there for fans of the old game, but with upgraded graphics, new level styles, enemies, and game modes.  Enjoy a classic single player campaign, try to get on the global leaderboard in challenge mode, or fight your friends in online multiplayer.

VR is also supported, and adds a whole new element of reali...

Scythe Byakko CPU Heatsink Review - Friday Flights

 So you just got a brand new CPU, and want to know if $25 can upgrade your stock cooler.  Well, what if I told you the Scythe Byakko SCBYK-1000 cooler would not only run quieter and cooler, but you could actually see performance gains?

But first... What am I drinking???

It's the Bee's Knees... Literally!  The Bee's Knees from Stickmen Brewing Company (Tualatin, OR) is an Ale infused with Honey.  Very sweet and tasty, and easy drinking at 7% ABV and only 25 IBUs.

Heh... forgot to post this one to Patreon...

HDMI capture over USB can be fickle, but the PENGO 4K HDMI Grabber promises 1080/60 capture, with 4:4:4 color, and no compromises.

Check out the PENGO 4K HDMI Grabber on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2N1ouX6

But first... What am I drinking?

An old favorite, it's Quilter's Irish Death by Iron Horse Brewery.  A dark smooth ale clocking in at 7.8%.  A great entry into dark beer if the porters and stouts of the world a...

Gamdias Achilles M1-L Gaming Chair Review

When Gamdias reached out and asked if there was anything I could use around my studio, my sore rear end was the first thing to speak up.

But first... What am I drinking???

Today I'm enjoying a Stoker Red Ale from Worthy Brewing (Bend, OR)

Check out the Gamdias M1-L here: https://amzn.to/2Myv9La

Or here: 2018-08-17 16:10:18 +0000 UTC View Post

KEYCHAINS!!!

Bottle opener key chains have been ordered!!!  I'm just waiting for a proof on the artwork.  These will be shipped to all current Patrons as soon as they arrive.  I'll be adding a reward to the $1 tier to receive your key chain.

These are small and lightweight enough to carry with your keys, but still work well as a bottle opener.  These aren't the cheap aluminum ones you get at 7-11 either.  All steel.

Thanks everyone for your continued support of Craft Computin...

WHISKEY COOLED PC!

WHY?!?

But first... What am I drinking?

Whiskey of course.  This is a cocktail of my own creation, and I have yet to name it.  2oz of Whiskey, 1.5oz Amaretto, 1oz of Orange Liqueur, and 2 dashes of Angostura Orange bitters.  Stir, and then strain over ice.  I recommend going with a rye whiskey rather than a bourbon, and I certainly don't recommend McAfee's Benchmark Kentucky Bourbon go into any of your cocktails.

This is a video you've been asking for since I st...

The sketchiest water cooling loop ever!

I bought an entire PC water cooling kit for $81 shipped!  You can find these on eBay, Alibaba, WISH, and anywhere crap products are sold.

But first... What am I drinking???

I picked up a pint of Fort George (Astoria, OR) Vortex IPA.  A fantastic example of a Northwest IPA, but still very drinkable at 7.7%.

This is a full water cooling loop, with every part and fitting you need to cool your PC.  But should you buy it?

...

GamerStorm Castle 240RGB by DeepCool

Today we're doing an unboxing and live review of a the all new GamerStorm Castle 240RGB by DeepCool.  It's an All-In-One liquid cooler with individually addressable RGB lighting, and an infinity mirror to boot.

But first... What am I drinking???

I picked up a Hop Valley (Eugene, OR) Doubledelic Imperial IPA.  Clocking in at 9.6% and 96 IBU, definitely a heavy hitter, but still very drinkable.  And actually a good intro if you're looking at getting int...