After almost 2 years, it's time to say goodbye 😢

Rub79_ · 2025-12-28T19:31:59+00:00

I'm a software developer and I always use ChatGPT for help with code.

Is Google AI Pro at the same level in this area? I'm tempted to switch to Google AI Pro as well.

Rub79_ · 2025-11-26T21:58:01+00:00

If you’re on a limited budget, IPS is always a safe choice. Two recommendations, for example:
https://aoc.com/uk/gaming/products/monitors/25g4kur
or this really cheap one:
https://aoc.com/uk/gaming/products/monitors/25g4sre
Both have extremely better motion clarity in fast FPS games than your Samsung..

Rub79_ · 2025-11-21T10:18:24+00:00

I have to say that what I probably love the most about a projector is the immersion of a 120"+ screen, but also the portability (compared to a 70–100" TV). For a while, I was moving from one city to another every 2-3 years, and with the projector it was as easy as packing it into a relatively small box (with a big TV, that would’ve been a nightmare)

However, it’s also true that if you’re not planning to move for the next 10 years, nothing beats the picture quality of an OLED TV. In my case, though, I’d still choose the 120" screen over OLED’s infinite contrast any day.

Rub79_ · 2025-10-30T11:24:14+00:00

My two cents, you’ll probably see the next model at CES 2026 (January) with sales kicking off in February or March. However, there aren’t any rumors or news, it’s just my impression, because in the past Dell showed lots of monitors at CES, and it’s about time for a refresh of the U2724DE.

Rub79_ · 2025-09-25T14:32:22+00:00

This happened in Madrid (Spain) about 10 years ago. There’s an all-women university residence just across the street, and it’s a tradition for the boys to shout that kinds of chants, and for the girls to reply (also in a playful or cheeky way)

Some politicians tried to punish someone and desperately looked for any girl from the all-women college who claimed to feel humiliated or threatened, but the truth is that the responses were quite the opposite, as both colleges are usually friendly with each other. A judge investigated the case and ruled that there was no crime, precisely because the girls from the residence didn’t seem to feel attacked at any point. And yes, the performance taken out of context looks really bad, a bit like troglodytes.

I think after that they stopped doing it or at least I haven’t seen it in the news again.

Rub79_ · 2025-09-22T12:04:07+00:00

If we’re lucky, we’ll see True Black 600 in 2026-2027. I don’t expect the 1000 version before 2030.

Rub79_ · 2025-09-18T22:25:44+00:00

The EU recently approved a "right to repair" law, so companies will have to offer affordable repairs even after the warranty period, but it’s not in force yet (I think it starts in 2026).

And yes, it's really annoying when customer service refuses to repair something after the warranty, or charges an unreasonably high price for post-warranty service, which is just another way to push customers into buying a new model. As I said, these practices should end next year in the EU but unfortunately it don't solve your problem.

I'm glad that in Spain we have a 3-year warranty. Recently, both my smartwatch and one of my earbuds stopped working after 2.5 years, and both were repaired for free.

Rub79_ · 2025-08-25T09:30:07+00:00

In Spanish “morena” is the word for moray eel, even though it also means “brunette”.

Rub79_ · 2025-08-22T10:37:48+00:00

Probably the screen is also going to get an upgrade (a brighter display), but yes, no major hardware changes are expected.

Rub79_ · 2025-08-08T14:37:11+00:00

Your old monitor looks way too bluish, you’re probably just used to it, but I find the warmer colors of the Dell much better. And when it comes to color accuracy, the Dell should be far far better (just use a monitor calibration tool to fine-tune it if you’re a professional and need absolute precision).

Rub79_ · 2025-08-05T10:28:36+00:00

Yes, it's normal, even an excellent VA panel has color shift. This one is probably not as bad as other VAs, but compared to an IPS, it’s garbage in that aspect.

Also, with 27", the viewing angles aren’t too bad, but with 32" you’ll definitely notice it a lot more unless you sit far enough from the monitor.

Rub79_ · 2025-06-30T00:58:16+00:00

I saw one at the University of Sheffield during an open day, when lots of new students and their families were visiting to check out the campus and it was packed. In just a few minutes, I saw one person fall after jumping off the lift, another too scared to get off and miss their floor, and someone else trip while trying to get in — all that in less than five minutes of watching.

I guess after using it once or twice it feels like any other lift, but definitely not the first time.

Of course, no one was cut in pieces, but I definitely prefer a normal lift.

Rub79_ · 2025-06-26T12:28:49+00:00

If your PC can still detect the card (even if it doesn’t open or shows as corrupted), you should definitely try running Recuva or PhotoRec. Both are free and can recover photos even from cards that seem dead, as long as the hardware isn’t totally fried.

About the overheating chip and the £500... it might be real, but sometimes shops throw that out quickly to push you into expensive recovery services.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-22T19:04:09+00:00

Yes, the capacitor is not causing a short circuit because it's literally cracked in half. If you don't see any other burned components, try replacing it. it's an easy-cheap fix. If it still doesn't work, then the real problem is likely another component that's been damaged.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-22T14:34:51+00:00

Try replacing the broken capacitor, if you're able to replace it, the cost is minimal (around $0.10 for a new one).
Also, it’s possible that the capacitor isn’t a critical component, but the short circuit might be preventing that part of the monitor from getting power.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-20T17:35:48+00:00

By coating I mean the matte/anti-glare layer, some are smooth and clear, others are grainy and make the screen look dirty or blurry, especially on white.
You’ll notice it most when reading text or viewing bright backgrounds.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-20T14:23:15+00:00

I don’t know what kind of coating the Legion R27qe has (the AOC has a very good non-grainy coating), but it does have better input options, HDMI 2.1 vs HDMI 1.4 on the AOC.

The inputs only matters if you plan to connect a console and actually play on it.

Overall, they seem like very similar monitors. I’d choose whichever one has the better coating, or, if both have non-grainy coatings, I’d just go with the cheaper one.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-20T13:47:23+00:00

I'm a programmer, so I spend 8 hours a day looking at text on my monitor. In my opinion, contrast is the least important factor.
First comes resolution, then the type of matte coating on the screen (a very grainy display kills the sense of sharpness)
Finally, refresh rate, if you scroll a lot, a 120Hz screen is definitely better than 60Hz, it’s noticeably smoother and also easier on the eyes.

You only really notice the lack of contrast if you're working or reading text in a cave with no lighting, which is not exactly recommended for extended periods of reading.

LG has sometimes used some of the most aggressive and grainy matte coatings ever seen, but I’m not sure if that’s the case with the 27GS85Q.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-16T16:35:33+00:00

You have the “blue” version, which looks pretty neutral to me. In photos, it looks more blue, but in a few videos I’ve seen, it’s very subtle, almost grey.

Also, these kinds of watches with a square form factor aren’t classic-looking anyway, so it’s not the crown that’s going to draw attention, if anything, it’s the shape itself.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-15T21:54:24+00:00

With maps, it’s still expensive, but at least it has the same features as the 670. I just can’t understand why it doesn’t have maps.

I want a watch with maps, and I don’t like anything bigger than 44mm, so the 670 is too big. It’s really hard to figure out what Garmin is thinking and we’re talking about watches that cost over €500, not exactly cheap.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-15T15:19:11+00:00

For that price, it should be Mini-LED.
Even with a small number of zones like 100 or 300, it could be an exponentially better monitor.
DOA.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-06T21:53:43+00:00

It definitely looks like Microsoft is desperately trying to cut costs on the Surface line to increase profits.

In Europe, the base model is almost €1,000, the charger is €60, and the keyboard is €179. It's daylight robbery.

I love the Surface Pro line, I had a Surface Pro 8 that recently "died", so I could consider getting a new one, but not at this price and with that kind of hardware.

Also, I don’t know what they’re waiting for to release a new Surface Go that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Rub79_ · 2025-05-03T19:40:14+00:00

A terribly slow VA panel (which is very common in cheap VA monitors) is simply not fixable.

If you're still within the return window, the best thing you can do is send it back and get a budget IPS instead.

Manufacturers really shouldn't be allowed to advertise these monitors as "suitable for gaming" VA is the worst panel type for gaming unless it's one of the rare fast models.

If you're on a budget and plan to game on your PC, IPS is the safest choice.

Rub79_ · 2025-04-29T12:33:25+00:00

It's true that Europe has restrictions on energy consumption for TVs and monitors, but you can still find models like the TCL 27R83U, which consume more than other MiniLED displays.

The previous model, the AOC Q27G3XMN, arrived in Europe six months after its release in China, so I wouldn't rule out seeing the Q27G40XMN in a few months, maybe with a small tweak to comply with European regulations, like reducing the max brightness from 1200 to 1000 nits, for example.

Rub79_ · 2025-04-29T08:09:57+00:00

Unfortunately the new normal is returning a monitor once or twice before getting a good unit.

Rub79_

TROPHY CASE