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APC Back UPS PRO 1500VA: BN1500M2 vs. BR1500MS vs. BX1500M

APC has several 1500VA uninterruptible power supplies with the BN1500M2, BR1500MS and BX1500M. So, what are the main differences between these products?

You can find out in this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

When compared to the BN1500M2 and BX1500M, the BR1500MS comes with a wider input voltage range for main operations, more battery charge power, more battery volt-amp-hour capacity, longer run time for load in addition to better coverage when it comes to lifetime equipment protection policy.

The BR1500MS is also tied with the BN1500M2 at having the greatest number of joules out of this group for surge protection.

So, if you are looking for a 1500VA uninterruptible power supply from APC, then the BR1500MS is easily the best available option.

BN1500M2 vs. BR1500MS vs. BX1500M Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table between these three UPS below.

	APC Back UPS PRO BN1500M2	APC Back UPS PRO BR1500MS	APC Back UPS PRO BX1500M
What’s in the Box	Back UPS PRO BN1500M2 Coaxial cable USB cable User manual	Back UPS PRO BR1500MS Coaxial cable USB cable User manual	Back UPS PRO BX1500M Coaxial cable RCBO USB cable User manual
Weight	25.13 lbs.	27.56 lbs.	24.25 lbs.
Dimensions	10.2 inches x 3.9 inches x 14.5 inches	10.2 inches x 3.9 inches x 14.5 inches	9.8 inches x 3.9 inches x 15.0 inches
Output Specifications	Max Configurable Power: 900 Watts / 1.5kVA Output Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz) Sync to mains Output Connections: 6x NEMA 5-15R Battery Backup and 4x NEMA 5-15R Surge Protection Topology: Line interactive Waveform Type: Stepped approximation to a sinewave Transfer Time: 8 ms typical and 10 ms maximum Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V	Max Configurable Power: 900 Watts / 1.5kVA Output Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz) Sync to mains Output Connections: 6x NEMA 5-15R Battery Backup and 4x NEMA 5-15R Surge Protection Topology: Line interactive Waveform Type: Sinewave Transfer Time: 8 ms typical and 10 ms maximum Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V	Max Configurable Power: 900 Watts / 1.5kVA Output Frequency: 60 Hz Sync to mains Output Connections: 5x NEMA 5-15R Battery Backup and 5x NEMA 5-15R Surge Protection Topology: Line interactive Waveform Type: Stepped approximation to a sinewave Transfer Time: 8 ms typical and 10 ms maximum Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V
Input Specifications	Input Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz) Input Voltage Range for Main Operations: 88 V to 139 V Number of Power Cords: 1 Input Connections: NEMA 5-15P Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V Maximum Input Current: 12.0A	Input Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz) Input Voltage Range for Main Operations: 88 V to 147 V Number of Power Cords: 1 Input Connections: NEMA 5-15P Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V Maximum Input Current: 12.0A	Input Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz) Input Voltage Range for Main Operations: 88 V to 139 V Number of Power Cords: 1 Input Connections: NEMA 5-15P Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V Maximum Input Current: 12.0A
Battery Specifications	Battery Type: Lead-acid battery Included Battery Modules: 1 Typical Recharge Time: 16 hours Replacement Battery: APCRBC161 Expected Battery Life: 3 to 5 years RBC Quantity: 1 Battery Charge Power: 11 Watts Battery Volt-Amp-Hour Capacity: 180	Battery Type: Lead-acid battery Included Battery Modules: 1 Typical Recharge Time: 16 hours Replacement Battery: APCRBC163 Expected Battery Life: 3 to 5 years RBC Quantity: 1 Battery Charge Power: 16 Watts Battery Volt-Amp-Hour Capacity: 257	Battery Type: Lead-acid battery Included Battery Modules: 1 Typical Recharge Time: 16 hours Replacement Battery: APCRBC124 Expected Battery Life: 3 to 5 years RBC Quantity: 1 Battery Charge Power: 11 Watts Battery Volt-Amp-Hour Capacity: 172
Run Time for Load	100 Watts: 1 hour and 6 minutes 200 Watts: 32 minutes 300 Watts: 19 minutes 400 Watts: 13 minutes 500 Watts: 9 minutes 600 Watts: 7 minutes 700 Watts: 5 minutes 800 Watts: 4 minutes 900 Watts: 3 minutes	100 Watts: 1 hour and 17 minutes 200 Watts: 39 minutes 300 Watts: 24 minutes 400 Watts: 17 minutes 500 Watts: 12 minutes 600 Watts: 9 minutes 700 Watts: 7 minutes 800 Watts: 5 minutes 900 Watts: 4 minutes	100 Watts: 1 hour and 8 minutes 200 Watts: 31 minutes 300 Watts: 19 minutes 400 Watts: 12 minutes 500 Watts: 9 minutes 600 Watts: 6 minutes 700 Watts: 5 minutes 800 Watts: 3 minutes 900 Watts: 2 minutes
Surge Protection	1080 Joules	1080 Joules	789 Joules
Data Line Protection	Coaxial cable for CATV/SATV/modem/audio-video RJ45 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet protection	Coaxial cable for CATV/SATV/modem/audio-video RJ45 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet protection	Coaxial cable for CATV/SATV/modem/audio-video RJ45 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet protection
Filtering	Full-time, multi-pole noise filtering 5% IEEE surge let-through Instantaneous clamping response time	Full-time, multi-pole noise filtering 5% IEEE surge let-through Instantaneous clamping response time	Full-time, multi-pole noise filtering 5% IEEE surge let-through Instantaneous clamping response time
Features	Audible alarms Automatic self-test Battery backup and surge protection Battery failure notification Battery-protected and surge-only outlets Battery replacement without tools Boost Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) Building Wiring Fault Indicator Cold-start capable Control Panel Customizable voltage sensitivity Customizable voltage-transfer points Dataline surge protection Disconnected battery notification EMI and RFI noise filtering ENERGY STAR for UPS Green mode Hot-swappable batteries Intelligent battery management LCD graphics display Lifetime data recovery warranty PowerChute Personal Edition OS Compatibility Resettable circuit breaker RoHS Safety-agency approved Simple battery replacement Surge only outlets Transformer-block spaced outlets USB charging ports	Audible alarms Automatic self-test Battery backup and surge protection Battery failure notification Battery-protected and surge-only outlets Battery replacement without tools Boost and Trim Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) Building Wiring Fault Indicator Catastrophic Event Protection Cold-start capable Control Panel Customizable voltage sensitivity Customizable voltage-transfer points Dataline surge protection Disconnected battery notification EMI and RFI noise filtering ENERGY STAR for UPS Green mode Hot-swappable batteries Intelligent battery management LCD graphics display Lifetime data recovery warranty Performance Gaming Design PowerChute Personal Edition OS Compatibility Resettable circuit breaker RoHS Safety-agency approved Simple battery replacement Sine wave output Surge only outlets Transformer-block spaced outlets USB charging ports	Adjustable voltage sensitivity Audible alarms Automatic self-test Battery and surge protected outlets Battery failure notification Battery replacement without tools Battery-protected and surge-only outlets Boost Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR) Building Wiring Fault Indicator Cold-start capable Control Panel Customizable voltage sensitivity Customizable voltage-transfer points Dataline surge protection Disconnected battery notification Green mode Hot-swappable batteries Intelligent battery management LCD graphics display Lifetime data recovery warranty Resettable circuit breaker Safety-agency approved Simple battery replacement Surge only outlets Transformer Block Spacing USB connectivity User-replaceable batteries
Operating Temperature	32 °F to 104 °F (or 0 °C to 40 °C)	32 °F to 104 °F (or 0 °C to 40 °C)	32 °F to 104 °F (or 0 °C to 40 °C)
Storage Temperature	5 °F to 104 °F (or -15 °C to 40 °C)	5 °F to 104 °F (or -15 °C to 40 °C)	5 °F to 104 °F (or -15 °C to 40 °C)
Operating Relative Humidity	0% to 95% non-condensing	0% to 95% non-condensing	0% to 95% non-condensing
Operating Elevation	0 feet to 10,000 feet	0 feet to 10,000 feet	0 feet to 10,000 feet
Storage Elevation	0 feet to 10,000 feet	0 feet to 10,000 feet	0 feet to 50,000 feet
Noise at 1 Meter Away	45.0 dBA	45.0 dBA	45.0 dBA
Lifetime Equipment Protection Policy	$250,000	$500,000	$250,000
Warranty	3-year warranty for repair or replacement	3-year warranty for repair or replacement	3-year warranty for repair or replacement
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

What’s in the Box

In addition to the main uninterruptible power supply, each product also comes with a coaxial cable, USB cable and user manual. The BX1500M also includes a RCBO.

You can take a look at what’s included inside the boxes of each product below:

APC Back UPS PRO BN1500M2:

Back UPS PRO BN1500M2
Coaxial cable
USB cable
User manual

APC Back UPS PRO BR1500MS:

Back UPS PRO BR1500MS
Coaxial cable
USB cable
User manual

APC Back UPS PRO BX1500M:

Back UPS PRO BX1500M
Coaxial cable
RCBO
USB cable
User manual

Weight

The BR1500MS is the heaviest UPS in the versus guide, followed by the BN1500M2. The BX1500M is the lightest.

You can find the weight specifications below:

Back UPS PRO BN1500M2: 25.13 lbs.
Back UPS PRO BR1500MS: 27.56 lbs.
Back UPS PRO BX1500M: 24.25 lbs.

Dimensions

The BN1500M2 and BR1500MS models have the same exact measurements. The BX1500M is a little shorter than the other two but also has a little bit more depth.

You can find the dimensions below:

BN1500M2 and BR1500MS:

10.2 inches x 3.9 inches x 14.5 inches

BX1500M:

9.8 inches x 3.9 inches x 15.0 inches

Output Specifications

The BN1500M2 and BR1500MS have the same output connections as both come with six NEMA 5-15R battery backups and four NEMA 5-15R surge protections. The BX1500M includes five each of the NEMA 5-15R battery backup and four NEMA 5-15R surge protection.

You can take a look at the output specs below:

Back UPS PRO BN1500M2:

Max Configurable Power: 900 Watts / 1.5kVA
Output Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz) Sync to mains
Output Connections: 6x NEMA 5-15R Battery Backup and 4x NEMA 5-15R Surge Protection
Topology: Line interactive
Waveform Type: Stepped approximation to a sinewave
Transfer Time: 8 ms typical and 10 ms maximum
Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V

Back UPS PRO BR1500MS:

Max Configurable Power: 900 Watts / 1.5kVA
Output Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz) Sync to mains
Output Connections: 6x NEMA 5-15R Battery Backup and 4x NEMA 5-15R Surge Protection
Topology: Line interactive
Waveform Type: Sinewave
Transfer Time: 8 ms typical and 10 ms maximum
Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V

Back UPS PRO BX1500M:

Max Configurable Power: 900 Watts / 1.5kVA
Output Frequency: 60 Hz Sync to mains
Output Connections: 5x NEMA 5-15R Battery Backup and 5x NEMA 5-15R Surge Protection
Topology: Line interactive
Waveform Type: Stepped approximation to a sinewave
Transfer Time: 8 ms typical and 10 ms maximum
Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V

Input Specifications

The BR1500MS has a wider input voltage range for main operations when compared to the BN1500M2 and BX1500M. Otherwise, the input specs are identical:

BN1500M2:

Input Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz)
Input Voltage Range for Main Operations: 88 V to 139 V
Number of Power Cords: 1
Input Connections: NEMA 5-15P
Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V
Maximum Input Current: 12.0A

BR1500MS:

Input Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz)
Input Voltage Range for Main Operations: 88 V to 147 V
Number of Power Cords: 1
Input Connections: NEMA 5-15P
Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V
Maximum Input Current: 12.0A

BX1500M:

Input Frequency: 60 Hz (+/- 3 Hz)
Input Voltage Range for Main Operations: 88 V to 139 V
Number of Power Cords: 1
Input Connections: NEMA 5-15P
Nominal Output Voltage: 120 V
Maximum Input Current: 12.0A

Battery Specifications

The BR1500MS also has the most battery charge power and battery volt-amp-hour capacity out of this group. The BN1500M2 and BX1500M have the same battery charge power while the BN1500M2 comes with a slightly higher battery volt-amp-hour capacity.

You can find the battery specs below:

APC Back UPS PRO BN1500M2:

Battery Type: Lead-acid battery
Included Battery Modules: 1
Typical Recharge Time: 16 hours
Replacement Battery: APCRBC161
Expected Battery Life: 3 to 5 years
RBC Quantity: 1
Battery Charge Power: 11 Watts
Battery Volt-Amp-Hour Capacity: 180

APC Back UPS PRO BR1500MS:

Battery Type: Lead-acid battery
Included Battery Modules: 1
Typical Recharge Time: 16 hours
Replacement Battery: APCRBC163
Expected Battery Life: 3 to 5 years
RBC Quantity: 1
Battery Charge Power: 16 Watts
Battery Volt-Amp-Hour Capacity: 257

APC Back UPS PRO BX1500M:

Battery Type: Lead-acid battery
Included Battery Modules: 1
Typical Recharge Time: 16 hours
Replacement Battery: APCRBC124
Expected Battery Life: 3 to 5 years
RBC Quantity: 1
Battery Charge Power: 11 Watts
Battery Volt-Amp-Hour Capacity: 172

Run Time for Load

Run Time for Load measures how long an UPS can power connected devices in an event of a complete power outage. The BR1500MS is once again the winner as it can power devices the longest, followed by the BX1500M and BN1500M2.

You can find the run times, which are based on increments of 100 wattage, below:

BN1500M2:

100 Watts: 1 hour and 6 minutes
200 Watts: 32 minutes
300 Watts: 19 minutes
400 Watts: 13 minutes
500 Watts: 9 minutes
600 Watts: 7 minutes
700 Watts: 5 minutes
800 Watts: 4 minutes
900 Watts: 3 minutes

BR1500MS:

100 Watts: 1 hour and 17 minutes
200 Watts: 39 minutes
300 Watts: 24 minutes
400 Watts: 17 minutes
500 Watts: 12 minutes
600 Watts: 9 minutes
700 Watts: 7 minutes
800 Watts: 5 minutes
900 Watts: 4 minutes

BX1500M:

100 Watts: 1 hour and 8 minutes
200 Watts: 31 minutes
300 Watts: 19 minutes
400 Watts: 12 minutes
500 Watts: 9 minutes
600 Watts: 6 minutes
700 Watts: 5 minutes
800 Watts: 3 minutes
900 Watts: 2 minutes

Surge Protection

The BN1500M2 and BR1500MS have the same number of joules, which is more than BX1500M. As a result, the BN1500M2 and BR1500MS are more capable at protecting against power surges than the BX1500M.

You can find the surge protection specifications below:

APC Back UPS PRO BN1500M2: 1080 Joules
APC Back UPS PRO BR1500MS: 1080 Joules
APC Back UPS PRO BX1500M: 789 Joules

Data Line Protection

The APS UPC products in this comparison guide offer the following data line protection:

Coaxial cable for CATV/SATV/modem/audio-video
RJ45 10/100/1000 Base-T Ethernet protection

Filtering

The three uninterruptible power supplies also provide the following filtering features:

Full-time, multi-pole noise filtering
5% IEEE surge let-through
Instantaneous clamping response time

Features

The BN1500M2, BR1500MS and BX1500M also share a lot of the same features.

You can take a look at the lists below:

APC Back UPS PRO BN1500M2:

Audible alarms
Automatic self-test
Battery backup and surge protection
Battery failure notification
Battery-protected and surge-only outlets
Battery replacement without tools
Boost Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR)
Building Wiring Fault Indicator
Cold-start capable
Control Panel
Customizable voltage sensitivity
Customizable voltage-transfer points
Dataline surge protection
Disconnected battery notification
EMI and RFI noise filtering
ENERGY STAR for UPS
Green mode
Hot-swappable batteries
Intelligent battery management
LCD graphics display
Lifetime data recovery warranty
PowerChute Personal Edition OS Compatibility
Resettable circuit breaker
RoHS
Safety-agency approved
Simple battery replacement
Surge only outlets
Transformer-block spaced outlets
USB charging ports

APC Back UPS PRO BR1500MS:

Audible alarms
Automatic self-test
Battery backup and surge protection
Battery failure notification
Battery-protected and surge-only outlets
Battery replacement without tools
Boost and Trim Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR)
Building Wiring Fault Indicator
Catastrophic Event Protection
Cold-start capable
Control Panel
Customizable voltage sensitivity
Customizable voltage-transfer points
Dataline surge protection
Disconnected battery notification
EMI and RFI noise filtering
ENERGY STAR for UPS
Green mode
Hot-swappable batteries
Intelligent battery management
LCD graphics display
Lifetime data recovery warranty
Performance Gaming Design
PowerChute Personal Edition OS Compatibility
Resettable circuit breaker
RoHS
Safety-agency approved
Simple battery replacement
Sine wave output
Surge only outlets
Transformer-block spaced outlets
USB charging ports

APC Back UPS PRO BX1500M:

Adjustable voltage sensitivity
Audible alarms
Automatic self-test
Battery and surge protected outlets
Battery failure notification
Battery replacement without tools
Battery-protected and surge-only outlets
Boost Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR)
Building Wiring Fault Indicator
Cold-start capable
Control Panel
Customizable voltage sensitivity
Customizable voltage-transfer points
Dataline surge protection
Disconnected battery notification
Green mode
Hot-swappable batteries
Intelligent battery management
LCD graphics display
Lifetime data recovery warranty
Resettable circuit breaker
Safety-agency approved
Simple battery replacement
Surge only outlets
Transformer Block Spacing
USB connectivity
User-replaceable batteries

Operating Temperature

All three UPS devices have the same operating temperature ranges of 32 °F to 104 °F (or 0 °C to 40 °C).

Storage Temperature

The storage temperature ranges are also identical at 5 °F to 104 °F (or -15 °C to 40 °C).

Operating Relative Humidity

Furthermore, the operating humidity ranges are same at 0% to 95% non-condensing.

Operating Elevation

All three products can be operated at an elevation range of 0 feet to 10,000 feet.

Storage Elevation

The BX1500M can be stored at a much higher elevation when compared to the BN1500M2 and BR1500MS:

BN1500M2: 0 feet to 10,000 feet
BR1500MS: 0 feet to 10,000 feet
BX1500M: 0 feet to 50,000 feet

Noise at 1 Meter Away

The APC UPS devices make the same amount of noise level at 45.0 dBA.

Lifetime Equipment Protection Policy

The BR1500MS offers twice the amount of lifetime equipment protection than the BN1500M2 and BX1500M.

You can find the coverage amounts below:

BN1500M2: $250,000
BR1500MS: $500,000
BX1500M: $250,000

Warranty

The APC Back UPS PRO BN1500M2, APC Back UPS PRO BR1500MS and APC Back UPS PRO BX1500M each comes with 3-year warranty for repair or replacement.

Resources:

What’s the difference between the Elgato HD60 Pro and 4K60 Pro?

by Kevin Chen

Elgato currently has two PCIe capture cards on the market with the HD60 Pro and 4K60 Pro. So, what are the main differences between these two internal game capture cards?

You can find out in this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

When compared to the Elgato HD60 Pro, the Elgato 4K60 Pro is able to capture gameplay videos at up to 4K and 60 frames per second. You can also play games, via HDMI passthrough, at higher quality with the 4K60 Pro thanks to support of up to 4K/60fps, 1080p/240fps and 1440p/144fps.

The only advantage the Elgato HD60 Pro has is that it comes with a built-in H.264 encoder that you can use to produce H.264 master copies of captured gameplay videos.

We recommend picking up the Elgato 4K60 Pro PCIe Capture Card if you want to capture and play games at 4K, especially if you want to use it with the PlayStation 4 Pro, PlayStation 5, Xbox One X and/or Xbox Series X.

If you don’t mind capturing and playing games at 1080p, then the Elgato HD60 Pro PCIe Capture Card is the more affordable option.

HD60 Pro vs. 4K60 Pro Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table for these PCIe capture cards below.

	Elgato HD60 Pro PCIe Capture Card	Elgato 4K60 Pro PCIe Capture Card
What’s in the Box	HD60 Pro PCIe Capture Card High and low profile bracket HDMI cable	4K60 Pro PCIe Capture Card High and low profile bracket HDMI cable
Weight	120 grams	270 grams
Dimensions	122 mm x 56 mm x 14 mm	178 mm x 121 mm x 21 mm
Supported Capture Resolutions and Frame Rates	480p (720 x 480) 576i (720 x 576) 576p (720 x 576) 720p (1280 x 720) at 30 FPS 720p (1280 x 720) at 60 FPS 1080i (1920 x 1080) 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 30 FPS 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 60 FPS	480p (720 x 480) 576i (720 x 576) 576p (720 x 576) 720p (1280 x 720) at 30 FPS 720p (1280 x 720) at 60 FPS 1080i (1920 x 1080) 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 30 FPS 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 60 FPS 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 120 FPS 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 240 FPS 1440p (2560 x 1440) at 30 FPS 1440p (2560 x 1440) at 60 FPS 1440p (2560 x 1440) at 120 FPS 1440p (2560 x 1440) at 144 FPS 4K (3840 by 2160) at 30 FPS 4K (3840 by 2160) at 60 FPS
Supported Game Systems	PS3 Xbox 360 Nintendo Wii U PS4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch PS4 Pro Xbox One S Xbox One X PS5 Xbox Series S Xbox Series X	PS3 Xbox 360 Nintendo Wii U PS4 Xbox One Nintendo Switch PS4 Pro Xbox One S Xbox One X PS5 Xbox Series S Xbox Series X
Game Passthrough	1080p and 60fps	4K and 60fps 1440p and 144fps 1080p and 240fps
Built-In H.264 Encoder Support	Yes	No
Master Copy (H.264) Support	Yes	No
Instant Gameview Support	Yes	Yes
Unlimited Capture	Yes	Yes
Flashback Recording	Yes	Yes
Stream Command	Yes	Yes
Maximum Bitrate	60 Mbps	140 Mbps
Interface	PCIe x1	PCIe x4
Supported PCIe Slots	PCIe x1 PCIe x4 PCIe x8 PCIe x16	PCIe x4 PCIe x8 PCIe x16
Operating System Requirements	64-bit Windows 10	64-bit Windows 10
CPU Requirements	4th Gen Intel quad-core i5 CPU (i5-4xxx or comparable)	AMD Ryzen 7 (or better) or 6th Gen Intel core i7 CPU (i7-6xxx or comparable)
GPU Requirements	Intel HD or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 600 (or better)	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10xx (or better)
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

What’s in the Box

In addition to the main capture card unit, both products also come with a high and low profile bracket along with a HDMI cable.

You can check out the full breakdown of what’s included in each box below:

Elgato HD60 Pro:

HD60 Pro PCIe Capture Card
High and low profile bracket
HDMI cable

Elgato 4K60 Pro:

4K60 Pro PCIe Capture Card
High and low profile bracket
HDMI cable

Weight

The Elgato 4K60 Pro weighs more than twice as much as the HD60 Pro.

You can take a look at the weight specifications below:

HD60 Pro: 120 grams
4K60 Pro: 270 grams

Dimensions

The Elgato 4K60 Pro is also a bit bulkier than the HD60 Pro.

You can check out the full measurements for both internal game capture cards below:

HD60 Pro: 122 mm x 56 mm x 14 mm
4K60 Pro: 178 mm x 121 mm x 21 mm

Supported Capture Resolutions and Framerates

The 4K60 Pro can capture gameplay footage at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second in addition to higher frame rates at lower resolutions. On the other hand, the HD60 Pro can capture gameplay videos at up to 1080 resolution and 60 frames per second.

You can take a look at the supported capture resolutions and frame rates below:

Elgato HD60 Pro:

480p (720 x 480)
576i (720 x 576)
576p (720 x 576)
720p (1280 x 720) at 30 FPS
720p (1280 x 720) at 60 FPS
1080i (1920 x 1080)
1080p (1920 x 1080) at 30 FPS
1080p (1920 x 1080) at 60 FPS

Elgato 4K60 Pro:

480p (720 x 480)
576i (720 x 576)
576p (720 x 576)
720p (1280 x 720) at 30 FPS
720p (1280 x 720) at 60 FPS
1080i (1920 x 1080)
1080p (1920 x 1080) at 30 FPS
1080p (1920 x 1080) at 60 FPS
1080p (1920 x 1080) at 120 FPS
1080p (1920 x 1080) at 240 FPS
1440p (2560 x 1440) at 30 FPS
1440p (2560 x 1440) at 60 FPS
1440p (2560 x 1440) at 120 FPS
1440p (2560 x 1440) at 144 FPS
4K (3840 by 2160) at 30 FPS
4K (3840 by 2160) at 60 FPS

Supported Game Systems

The two PCIe capture cards can capture videos from videogame systems that use the HDMI output.

These consoles include the following:

PS3
Xbox 360
Nintendo Wii U
PS4
Xbox One
Nintendo Switch
PS4 Pro
Xbox One S
Xbox One X
PS5
Xbox Series S
Xbox Series X

Game Passthrough

While capturing videos, you can play games at 1080p and 60 frames per second with the HD60 Pro.

On the other hand, you can play games, while capturing gameplay footage, at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second with the 4K60 Pro. You can also play games at up to 240 frames per second in 1080p in addition to up to 144 frames per second in 1440p.

Built-In H.264 Encoder

The Elgato HD60 Pro is the only PCIe capture card in this comparison guide to come with a built-in encoder.

Master Copy (H.264)

The HD60 Pro is also the only one of the two that can produce H.264 master copies of captured gameplay videos.

Instant Gameview

Both capture cards support Instant Gameview, a feature that provides an instant view of your captured footage along with your audio commentary and webcam reaction.

Unlimited Capture

The two Elgato products also feature unlimited capture as you can capture gameplay footage for an uncapped amount of time as long as you have enough free space available.

Flashback Recording

Both also come with flashback recording, a feature that lets you rewind captured gameplay videos and then retroactively record from that point onwards.

Stream Command

The two products also feature stream command, which lets you customize the layout when streaming your gameplay. The options include alerts, overlays, webcam position and more.

Maximum Bitrate

The HD60 Pro has a maximum bitrate of 60 Mbps. The 4K60 Pro has a much higher max bitrate of 140 Mbps.

Interface

The Elgato HD60 Pro PCIe Capture Card uses the PCIe x1 interface while the Elgato 4K60 Pro PCIe Capture Card uses the PCIe x4 interface.

Supported PCIe Slots

You can take a look at the supported PCIe slots below:

Elgato HD60 Pro:

PCIe x1
PCIe x4
PCIe x8
PCIe x16

Elgato 4K60 Pro:

PCIe x4
PCIe x8
PCIe x16

Operating System Requirements

Both capture cards require the 64-bit Windows 10 operating system.

CPU Requirements

The 4K60 Pro has higher CPU requirements than the HD60 Pro.

You can check out the prerequisites below:

Elgato HD60 Pro: 4th Gen Intel quad-core i5 CPU (i5-4xxx or comparable)
Elgato 4K60 Pro: AMD Ryzen 7 (or better) or 6th Gen Intel core i7 CPU (i7-6xxx or comparable)

GPU Requirements

The 4K60 Pro also has higher graphics cards requirements than the HD60 Pro.

You can take a look below:

Elgato HD60 Pro: Intel HD or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 600 (or better)
Elgato 4K60 Pro: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 10xx (or better)

AmazonBasics Rechargeable Batteries vs. High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries

by Kevin Chen

Amazon Basics have two types of rechargeable batteries with the standard version and a high-capacity version. So, what are the differences between these?

You can find out in this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

When compared to the regular versions, the high-capacity AmazonBasics AA and AAA Rechargeable Batteries will last longer before needing to be recharged.

On the other hand, the standard versions of the AA and AAA Rechargeable Batteries can be recharged more times with minimal loss in performance in addition to having less self-discharge losses.

Comparison Charts

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison tables for the batteries below.

AmazonBasics AA Rechargeable Batteries vs. AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries

	AmazonBasics AA Rechargeable Batteries	AmazonBasics AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries
Battery Cell Type	NiMH	NiMH
Available Packs	4 Pack 8 Pack 12 Pack 16 Pack 24 Pack	4 Pack 8 Pack 24 Pack
mAh	2000 mAh	2400 mAh
Pre-Charged?	Yes	Yes
AmazonBasics Ni-MH AA & AAA Battery Charger Support?	Yes	Yes
Recharge Endurance	1000 times with minimal power and capacity losses	100s of times with minimal power and capacity losses
Self-Discharge	Maintains 80% capacity for 24 months	Maintains 70% capacity for 6 months and 50% capacity for 12 months
Certified Frustration-Free Packaging?	Yes	Yes
Recyclable?	Yes	Yes
Warranty	1-year limited warranty	1-year limited warranty
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

AmazonBasics AAA Rechargeable Batteries vs. AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries

	AmazonBasics AAA Rechargeable Batteries	AmazonBasics AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries
Battery Cell Type	NiMH	NiMH
Available Packs	4 Pack 8 Pack 12 Pack 24 Pack	4 Pack 8 Pack
mAh	800 mAh	850 mAh
Pre-Charged?	Yes	Yes
AmazonBasics Ni-MH AA & AAA Battery Charger Support?	Yes	Yes
Recharge Endurance	1000 times with minimal power and capacity losses	100s of times with minimal power and capacity losses
Self-Discharge	Maintains 80% capacity for 24 months	Maintains 80% capacity for 12 months
Certified Frustration-Free Packaging?	Yes	Yes
Recyclable?	Yes	Yes
Warranty	1-year limited warranty	1-year limited warranty
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.v

Battery Cell Type

The regular and high capacity versions of the AmazonBasics AA and AAA rechargeable batteries use the NiMH cell.

Available Packs

You can buy the AmazonBasics AA/AAA Rechargeable Batteries in different number of packs.

You can take a look at the available configurations below:

AmazonBasics AA Rechargeable Batteries:

4 Pack
8 Pack
12 Pack
16 Pack
24 Pack

AmazonBasics AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries:

4 Pack
8 Pack
24 Pack

AmazonBasics AAA Rechargeable Batteries:

4 Pack
8 Pack
12 Pack
24 Pack

AmazonBasics AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries:

4 Pack
8 Pack

mAh

Milliampere-hours, or mAh, measure the amount of milliamperes that a battery is capable of providing on a per hour basis. The high-capacity version of the Amazon Basics AA Rechargeable Battery has 20 percent more mAh than the standard version. The high-capacity version of the AmazonBasics AAA Rechargeable Battery has 6.25 percent more mAh than the standard version.

As a result, the Amazon Basics High-Capacity Batteries will last longer without having to recharge when compared to the regular versions.

You can take a look at the mAh for each product below:

Amazon Basics AA Rechargeable Batteries: 2000 mAh
Amazon Basics AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries: 2400 mAh
Amazon Basics AAA Rechargeable Batteries: 800 mAh
Amazon Basics AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries: 850 mAh

Pre-Charged

All of Amazon Basics Rechargeable Batteries in this versus guide have already been pre-charge. Thus, you will be able to use them right away.

AmazonBasics Ni-MH AA & AAA Battery Charger

The batteries in this comparison can be recharged using the AmazonBasics Ni-MH AA & AAA Battery Charger. With this product, you will be able to recharge up to four AA or AAA batteries at the same time via the retractable AC plug or through the USB charge port. The recharging time from completely depleted batteries is 4 hours.

The Ni-MH AA & AAA Battery Charger also features a built-in power switch technology (100-240 V AC) so that you can use the charger from anywhere the world. If you are interested, you can purchase the product on Amazon with the following link:

Amazon Basics Ni-MH AA & AAA Battery Charger(#CommissionsEarned)

Recharge Endurance

The regular versions of the AA/AAA Rechargeable Batteries can be recharged 1,000 of times with minimal power and capacity losses. The high-capacity options can be recharged hundreds of times with minimal power and capacity losses.

So, we can infer that the standard versions can be recharged more than the high-capacity versions.

You can find the recharge endurance specifications below:

AmazonBasics AA Rechargeable Batteries: can be recharged 1000 times with minimal power and capacity losses.
AmazonBasics AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries: can be recharged 100s of times with minimal power and capacity losses.
AmazonBasics AAA Rechargeable Batteries: can be recharged 1000 times with minimal power and capacity losses.
AmazonBasics AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries: can be recharged 100s of times with minimal power and capacity losses.

Self-Discharge

The regular AmazonBasics AA and AAA Rechargeable Batteries also have better self-discharge specs as both can maintain an 80 percent capacity after 24 mounts. The high-capacity AA can maintain 50 percent capacity after 12 months while the high-capacity AAA can maintain 80 percent capacity after 12 months.

You can find the self-discharge specifications below:

AmazonBasics AA Rechargeable Batteries: maintains 80% capacity for 24 months
AmazonBasics AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries: maintains 70% capacity for 6 months and 50% capacity for 12 months
AmazonBasics AAA Rechargeable Batteries: maintains 80% capacity for 24 months
AmazonBasics AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries: maintains 80% capacity for 12 months

Certified Frustration-Free Packaging

The products are packaged in what Amazon called “frustration-free” packaging. So, you shouldn’t have any trouble opening the box.

Recyclable

Once the batteries in this comparison guide run out of charge, and thus can no longer be recharged, you will be able to recycle them.

Warranty

The AmazonBasics AA Rechargeable Batteries, AA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries, AAA Rechargeable Batteries and AAA High-Capacity Rechargeable Batteries each come with a 1-year limited warranty.

WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive vs. WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive

by Kevin Chen

Western Digital currently has two external portable storage drives made specifically for videogames with the P10 and P50. So, what are the differences between these two products?

You can find out in this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

When compared to the WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive, the WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive is more than 13 times faster when it comes to top performance speed, which will lead to better transfer and load times.

The P50 can also tolerate colder operating temperatures and have a longer warranty coverage period.

The only advantage the P10 has over the competition is that it offers bigger capacity options.

You can see how the P50 stacks up against the Samsung T7 with this article.

WD_BLACK P10 vs. WD_BLACK P50 Comparison Guide

You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table between the P10 and P50 below.

	WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive	WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive
Capacity Options	2 TB: WDBA2W0020BBK-WESN 4 TB: WDBA3A0040BBK-WESN 5 TB: WDBA3A0050BBK-WESN	500 GB: WDBA3S5000ABK-WESN 1 TB: WDBA3S0010BBK-WESN 2 TB: WDBA3S0020BBK-WESN
Weight	2TB P10: 140 grams (or 0.31 lb.) 4TB P10: 230 grams (or 0.52 lb.) 5B P10: 230 grams (or 0.52 lb.)	500GB P50: 115 grams (or 0.25 lb.) 1TB P50: 115 grams (or 0.25 lb.) 2TB P50: 115 grams (or 0.25 lb.)
Dimensions	2TB P10: 4.65" x 3.46" x 0.50" 4TB P10: 4.65" x 3.46" x 0.82" 5B P10: 4.65" x 3.46" x 0.82"	500GB P50: 4.65" x 2.44" x 0.55" 1TB P50: 4.65" x 2.44" x 0.55" 2TB P50: 4.65" x 2.44" x 0.55"
What in the Box	WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive USB Type-A to Micro-B Cable Quick Install Guide	WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive USB Type-C to Type-C Cable USB Type-C to Type-A Cable Quick Install Guide
PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X Compatibility	Yes	Yes
PS5, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X Compatibility	Yes	Yes
PC and Mac Compatibility	macOS 10.11+ Windows 8.1 Windows 10	macOS 10.11+ Windows 8.1 Windows 10
Storage Drive Type	External portable hard disk drive	External portable solid state drive
Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 1	USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
Speed	Up to 140 MB per second	Up to 2000 MB per second
Operating Temperature	5°C to 35°C	0°C to 35°C
Warranty	-20°C to 65°C	-20°C to 70°C
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Capacity Options

The WD_BLACK P10 is available in three capacities: 2 TB, 4 TB and 5 TB. The WD_BLACK P50 also comes in three capacity options as you can pick between 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB.

You can check out the model number for each size below:

Western Digital BLACK P10:

2 TB: WDBA2W0020BBK-WESN
4 TB: WDBA3A0040BBK-WESN
5 TB: WDBA3A0050BBK-WESN

Western Digital BLACK P50:

500 GB: WDBA3S5000ABK-WESN
1 TB: WDBA3S0010BBK-WESN
2 TB: WDBA3S0020BBK-WESN

Weight

You can check out the weight for the available capacities of both game drives in this versus guide below:

2TB P10: 140 grams (or 0.31 lb.)
4TB P10: 230 grams (or 0.52 lb.)
5B P10: 230 grams (or 0.52 lb.)

500GB P50: 115 grams (or 0.25 lb.)
1TB P50: 115 grams (or 0.25 lb.)
2TB P50: 115 grams (or 0.25 lb.)

Dimensions

You can also take a look at the dimensions for each capacity (measured in length by width by height) below:

2TB P10: 4.65″ x 3.46″ x 0.50″
4TB P10: 4.65″ x 3.46″ x 0.82″
5B P10: 4.65″ x 3.46″ x 0.82″

500GB P50: 4.65″ x 2.44″ x 0.55″
1TB P50: 4.65″ x 2.44″ x 0.55″
2TB P50: 4.65″ x 2.44″ x 0.55″

What in the Box

In addition to the storage drive, the P10 also comes with an USB Type-A to Micro-B cable and quick installation guide. Along with the storage drive, the P50 includes an USB Type-C to Type-C cable, USB Type-C to Type-A cable and quick installation guide.

You can find the full breakdown below:

WD_BLACK P10:

WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive
USB Type-A to Micro-B Cable
Quick Install Guide

WD_BLACK P50:

WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive
USB Type-C to Type-C Cable
USB Type-C to Type-A Cable
Quick Install Guide

PS4, PS4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X Compatibility

Both the WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive and WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive are compatible with the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X. You will be able to play games directly on these external storage drives.

PS5, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X Compatibility

The P10 and P50 are also compatible with the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X. For the PS5, you will be able to play backwards compatible PlayStation 4 games directly on the external drive.

For the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, you will be able to play backwards compatible Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One games directly on the external drive. You can also use the same drive as a cold storage for Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X games.

PC and Mac Compatibility

Of course, you can also use the WD_BLACK P10 and WD_BLACK P50 on a PC and Mac.

You will require the following operating systems:

macOS 10.11+
Windows 8.1
Windows 10

Storage Drive Type

The Western Digital BLACK P10 is an external portable hard disk drive while the Western Digital BLACK P50 is an external portable solid state drive.

Interface

The WD_BLACK P10 uses the USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface while the WD_BLACK P50 uses the newer and faster USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface.

Speed

When it comes to speed, the WD_BLACK P50 has a major advantage over the WD_BLACK P10. The P50 has a top performance speed that is 1328.57 percent more than the P10.

You can check out the specifications below:

WD_BLACK P10: Up to 140 MB per second
WD_BLACK P50: Up to 2000 MB per second

The faster speed will lead be better transfer speed when moving data away from and into the external drive. You will also get better load times if you are playing games directly on the storage drive.

Operating Temperature

The WD_BLACK P50 can tolerate colder operating temperatures when compared to the WD_BLACK P10. You can find the ranges below:

WD_BLACK P10: 5°C to 35°C
WD_BLACK P50: 0°C to 35°C

Storage Temperature

The P50 can also tolerate hotter non-operating temperatures than the P10.

You can find the storage temperature ranges below:

WD_BLACK P10: -20°C to 65°C
WD_BLACK P50: -20°C to 70°C

Warranty

The WD_BLACK P10 Game Drive comes with a 3-year warranty while the WD_BLACK P50 Game Drive comes with a longer 5-year warranty.

Resources:

Razer Xbox Series X|S Wireless Gaming Headset: Kaira vs. Kaira Pro

by Kevin Chen

Razer released two new Xbox Series X|S Wireless Gaming Headsets with the Kaira and Kaira Pro. So, what are the differences between these officially licensed headsets?

You can find out in this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

When compared to the Razer Kaira, the Razer Kaira Pro comes with support for Bluetooth 5.0 as well as a dedicated mobile microphone.

If you are planning to stream videogames from Xbox Game Pass on a mobile device via xCloud, then you should get the pro version.

The Razer Kaira Pro also comes RGB lighting as well as a longer battery life (although the battery life is the same as the regular version if you decide to use the aforementioned RGB lighting).

If you don’t mind missing out on the above-mentioned features, then the Razer Kaira is the more affordable option that provides the same sound output and microphone quality as the pro version on the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S.

Razer Kaira vs. Razer Kaira Pro Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the two gaming headsets below.

	Razer Kaira Wireless Gaming Headset	Razer Kaira Pro Wireless Gaming Headset
Weight	0.73 lb. or 332 grams	0.80 lb. or 365 grams
Frequency Response	20 Hz to 20 kHz	20 Hz to 20 kHz
Impedance at 1 kHz	32 ohms	32 ohms
Headphone Sensitivity	108 dB	108 dB
Driver Type	Razer TriForce Titanium	Razer TriForce Titanium
Driver Size	50 mm	50 mm
Earcups Material	FlowKnit breathable memory foam cushions	FlowKnit breathable memory foam cushions
Inner Earcup Diameter	2.2" x 2.64" (or 56 mm x 67 mm)	2.2" x 2.64" (or 56 mm x 67 mm)
Windows Sonic Support?	Yes	Yes
Headphone Noise Cancelling Support?	No	No
Wireless Connection Types	Direct to Xbox Series X\|S Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10	Direct to Xbox Series X\|S Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10 Bluetooth 5.0
On-Earcup Controls	EQ/Xbox Pairing Button Game/Chat Balance Wheel Mic Mute Switch Power Button Volume Wheel	Bluetooth/Multi-Function Button EQ / Xbox Pairing Button Game/Chat Balance Wheel Mic Mute Switch Power Button Volume Wheel
Wireless Frequency	2.4 GHz and 5 GHz	2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Wireless Range	30 feet (or 10 meters)	30 feet (or 10 meters)
Microphone Types	Bendable Razer HyperClear Cardioid Microphone	Detachable Razer HyperClear Cardioid Microphone Dedicated Mobile Microphone
Microphone Frequency Response	100 Hz to 10,000 Hz	100 Hz to 10,000 Hz
Microphone Sensitivity at 1 kHz	54 ± 3 dB at 1 kHz	54 ± 3 dB at 1 kHz
Lighting	None	Razer Chroma RGB underglow lighting
Battery Life	Up to 15 hours	Up to 15 hours with RGN lighting Up to 20 hours without RGB lighting
Warranty	2-year warranty	2-year warranty
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Weight

The Pro version of the Razer Kaira Wireless Gaming Headset is around 10 percent heavier when compared to the regular version.

You can check out the weight specifications for both below:

Razer Kaira: 0.73 lbs. or 332 grams
Razer Kaira Pro: 0.80 lbs. or 365 grams

Frequency Response

The two gaming headsets have a frequency response range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.

Impedance at 1 kHz

Both Xbox Series S and X headsets also has an impedance of 32 ohms at 1 kHz.

Headphone Sensitivity

The Razer Kaira Wireless Gaming Headset and Razer Kaira Pro Wireless Gaming Headset have identical headphone sensitivity ratings of 108 dB.

Driver Type

The two products in this versus guide are built with Razer TriForce Titanium, which features custom-tuned drivers for bass, mid and treble sound output.

The titanium diaphragms also add vocal clarity.

Driver Size

The Razer Kaira and Razer Kaira Pro are both equipped with 50 mm drivers.

Earcups Material

The ear cups for the Pro and standard versions are built with FlowKnit breathable memory foam cushions.

This material is designed to minimize sweating, heat buildup and soften the headset’s clamp force.

Inner Earcup Diameter

The Kaira and Kaira Pro have the same inner ear cup diameter at 2.2″ x 2.64″ (or 56 mm x 67 mm).

Windows Sonic

Both products also support Windows Sonic, which provides surround sound when playing videogames on your Xbox Series S and/or Xbox Series X.

Headphone Noise Cancelling

None of the headsets support headphone noise cancellation.

Wireless Connection Types

In terms of wireless connections, both gaming headsets can connect directly to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series.

The two products can also connect to Windows 10 PCs and other devices via the Xbox Wireless Adapter.

The Razer Kaira Pro is the only one of the two headsets to support Bluetooth 5.0, which means you can connect it to smartphones and other mobile devices to play games on the Xbox Game Pass via the xCloud streaming service.

You can find a full breakdown of the available connection types below:

Razer Kaira:

Direct to Xbox Series X|S
Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10

Razer Kaira Pro:

Direct to Xbox Series X|S
Xbox Wireless Adapter for Windows 10
Bluetooth 5.0

On-Earcup Controls

The Pro version has a Bluetooth/Multi-Function button while the standard version does not.

Otherwise, the two Xbox Series gaming headsets have the same on-earcup controls.

You can check out the control options for each headset below:

Razer Kaira Wireless Gaming Headset:

EQ/Xbox Pairing Button
Game/Chat Balance Wheel
Mic Mute Switch
Power Button
Volume Wheel

Razer Kaira Pro Wireless Gaming Headset:

Bluetooth/Multi-Function Button
EQ / Xbox Pairing Button
Game/Chat Balance Wheel
Mic Mute Switch
Power Button
Volume Wheel

Wireless Frequency

The two gaming headsets use the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency for wireless connection.

Wireless Range

The wireless range for both is 30 feet (or 10 meters).

Microphone Types

Both headphones come with a Razer HyperClear Cardioid Microphone, which features noise cancellation and an open housing that minimize obstruction.

The Pro version also includes a dedicated mobile microphone.

You can take a look at the microphone types included in each product below:

Razer Kaira Wireless Gaming Headset:

Bendable Razer HyperClear Cardioid Microphone

Razer Kaira Pro Wireless Gaming Headset:

Detachable Razer HyperClear Cardioid Microphone
Dedicated Mobile Microphone

Microphone Frequency Response

The two Kaira headsets have the same microphone frequency response range of 100 Hz to 10,000 Hz.

Microphone Sensitivity at 1 kHz

The microphones of both products also have identical microphone sensitivity of 54 ± 3 dB at 1 kHz.

Lighting

The Razer Kaira Pro is the only wireless gaming headset in this comparison guide to feature Razer Chroma RGB underglow lighting.

Battery Life

The Razer Kaira has a battery life of up to 15 hours.

The Razer Kaira Pro has a battery life of up to 15 hours if you are using the aforementioned Razer Chroma RGB underglow lighting. Without the use of RGB lighting, the pro version has a battery life of up to 20 hours.

Warranty

The Razer Kaira Wireless Gaming Headset for Xbox Series X|S and Razer Kaira Pro Wireless Gaming Headset for Xbox Series X|S each come with a 2-year warranty.

Resources:

What’s the difference between the Logitech Z606 and Z906?

by Kevin Chen

Logitech currently has two 5.1 surround sound speaker systems on the market with the Z606 and Z906. So, what are the differences between these products?

You can find out in this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

The Logitech Z906 features a more powerful subwoofer, as well as satellite speakers, than the Logitech Z606. It has also been THX certified with support for Dolby Digital and DRS.

Last but not least, the Z906 also comes with support for digital coaxial input, digital optical input, headphone jack and 6-channel direct input.

The only advantage the Z606 has over the Z906 is wireless support via Bluetooth 4.2 as it is compatible with the A2DP and AVRCP 1.3 profiles.

So, unless you want to connect to your speaker wirelessly, the Z906 is easily the better option out of the two.

Z606 vs. Z906 Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the two Logitech speaker systems below.

	Logitech Z606 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System	Logitech Z906 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System
What’s in the Box	Subwoofer with fixed power cable 4 x satellites 1x center channel 1x wireless remote 1 x 3.5mm to RCA cable	4x satellite speakers 1x center channel Subwoofer Six-channel direct cable Control Console 1x wireless remote 3x AAA batteries User documentation
Center Channel Dimensions	7.01 in x 4.33 in x 3.42 in (or 178.0 mm x 110.0 mm x 93 mm)	3.90 in x 6.50 in x 3.70 in (or 100.3 mm x 166.3 mm x 93.5 mm)
Center Channel Weight	0.93 lbs. (or 0.42 kg)	2.00 lbs. (or 0.89 kg)
Subwoofer Dimensions	11.69 in x 7.60 in x 11.0 in (or 297 mm x 193 mm x 267 mm)	11.50 in x 11.10 in x 12.60 in (or 293 mm x 281 mm x 319 mm)
Subwoofer Weight	7.7 lbs. (or 3.5 kg)	19.8 lbs. (or 9.0 kg)
Satellite Speakers Dimensions	7.01 in x 4.33 in x 3.42 in (or 178 mm x 110 mm x 93 mm)	6.50 in x 3.90 in x 3.70 in (or 166.3 mm x 100.3 mm x 93.5 mm)
Satellite Speakers Weight	1.0 lbs. (or 0.45 kg)	2.0 lbs. (or 0.89 kg)
Total Peak Watts	160 Watts	1000 Watts
Total Continuous Watts	80 Watts RMS	500 Watts RMS
Subwoofer Peak Watts	50 Watts	165 Watts
Subwoofer Continuous Watts	25 Watts RMS	67 Watts RMS
Satellites Peak Watts	55 Watts	67 Watts
THX Certified	No	Yes
Digital Decoding	No	Dolby Digital DRS
Connections	3.5mm input Bluetooth 4.2 RCA input	3.5mm input Digital coaxial input Digital optical input Headphone jack RCA input Six-channel direct input
Bluetooth Profiles	A2DP AVRCP 1.3	None
Warranty	1-Year Limited Hardware Warranty	1-Year Limited Hardware Warranty
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

What’s in the Box

You can check out what’s included in each box below:

Logitech Z606 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System:

Subwoofer with fixed power cable
4 x satellites
1x center channel
1x wireless remote
1 x 3.5mm to RCA cable

Logitech Z906 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System:

4x satellite speakers
1x center channel
Subwoofer
Six-channel direct cable
Control Console
1x wireless remote
3x AAA batteries
User documentation

Center Channel Dimensions

The central channel of the Z906 is smaller than the Z606.

You can take a look at the measurements below:

Z606: 7.01 in x 4.33 in x 3.42 in (or 178.0 mm x 110.0 mm x 93 mm)
Z906: 3.90 in x 6.50 in x 3.70 in (or 100.3 mm x 166.3 mm x 93.5 mm)

Center Channel Weight

The Logitech Z906’s center channel is more than twice as heavy as the central channel unit of the Logitech Z606.

You can find the weight specifications below:

Logitech Z606: 0.93 lbs. (or 0.42 kg)
Logitech Z906: 2.00 lbs. (or 0.89 kg)

Subwoofer Dimensions

The Z906 also has a bigger subwoofer than the Z606:

Z606: 11.69 in x 7.60 in x 11.0 in (or 297 mm x 193 mm x 267 mm)
Z906: 11.50 in x 11.10 in x 12.60 in (or 293 mm x 281 mm x 319 mm)

Subwoofer Weight

The subwoofer of the Logitech Z906 Surround Sound Speaker System is also more than twice as heavy as the subwoofer of the Logitech Z606 Surround Sound Speaker System:

Logitech Z606: 7.7 lbs. (or 3.5 kg)
Logitech Z906: 19.8 lbs. (or 9.0 kg)

Satellite Speakers Dimensions

The Z606 has bigger satellite speakers when compared to the Z906.

You can find the measurements below:

Z606: 7.01 in x 4.33 in x 3.42 in (or 178 mm x 110 mm x 93 mm)
Z906: 6.50 in x 3.90 in x 3.70 in (or 166.3 mm x 100.3 mm x 93.5 mm)

Satellite Speakers Weight

The satellites of the Z906 is twice as heavy as the satellites of the Z606:

Logitech Z606: 1.0 lbs. (or 0.45 kg)
Logitech Z906: 2.0 lbs. (or 0.89 kg)

Total Peak Watts

The Z906 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System has more than six times the amount of peak wattage than the Z606 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System. You can find that specification below:

Z606: 160 Watts
Z906: 1000 Watts

Total Continuous Watts

The Logitech Z906 also has four times the amount of continuous wattage than the Logitech Z606:

Logitech Z606: 80 Watts RMS
Logitech Z906: 500 Watts RMS

Subwoofer Peak Watts

Furthermore, the Z906’s subwoofer is more than three times as powerful as the Z606’s subwoofer:

Z606: 50 Watts
Z906: 165 Watts

Subwoofer Continuous Watts

The Logitech Z906 also uses more than twice the amount of continuous wattage than the Logitech Z606:

Logitech Z606: 25 Watts RMS
Logitech Z906: 67 Watts RMS

Satellites Peak Watts

When it comes to the satellite speakers, the Z906 is more powerful than the Z606:

Z606: 55 Watts
Z906: 67 Watts

THX Certified

Only the Logitech Z906 has received THX certification, which means that it meets standard for 5.1 surround sound reproduction.

As a result, it should sound more accurate than the Z606.

Digital Decoding

The Z906 is the only Logitech 5.1 surround sound speaker system in this comparison guide to support Dolby Digital and DRS.

Connections

When compared to the Logitech Z906, the Logitech Z606 is the only one to feature wireless connection over Bluetooth 4.2.

The Z906 does support more wired connections with digital coaxial input, digital optical input, headphone jack and 6-channel direct input.

Both speaker systems support 3.5mm and RCA inputs.

You can find a full breakdown of connections for both products below:

Logitech Z606 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System:

3.5mm input
Bluetooth 4.2
RCA input

Logitech Z906 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System:

3.5mm input
Digital coaxial input
Digital optical input
Headphone jack
RCA input
Six-channel direct input

Bluetooth Profiles

As we stated above, the Z606 is the only one of the two to support Bluetooth. It is compatible with the A2DP and AVRCP 1.3 profiles.

Warranty

The Logitech Z606 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System and Logitech Z906 5.1 Surround Sound Speaker System each come with a 1-Year Limited Hardware Warranty.

Resources:

What’s the difference between the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V1 and V2?

by Kevin Chen

SanDisk recently released a new version of the Extreme Portable Solid State Drive. So, how does the second generation compare to the original?

You can find out in this comparison guide between the two external SSDs.

Quick Summary

When compared to the original, the SanDisk Extreme Portable Solid State Drive V2 features significantly faster maximum sequential read and maximum sequential write speed.

Not to mention that the second version also features a longer warranty coverage period when compared to the original.

As you can see above, the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 is a massive improvement over the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V1.

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD vs. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 Comparison Chart

You can find Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the two portable SSDs below.

	SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V1	SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2
Capacity Options	250 GB: SDSSDE60-250G-G25 500 GB: SDSSDE60-500G-G25 1 TB: SDSSDE60-1T00-G25 2 TB: SDSSDE60-2T00-G25	500 GB: SDSSDE61-500G-G25 1 TB: SDSSDE61-1T00-G25 2 TB: SDSSDE61-2T00-G25
Dimensions	3.787 in. x 1.951 in. x 0.348 in. (or 96.200 mm x 49.550 mm x 8.850 mm)	3.960 in. x 2.060 in. x 0.350 in. (100.540 mm x 52.420 mm x 8.950 mm)
Interface	USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps)	USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface (10 Gbps)
Read Performance	Up to 550 MB per second	Up to 1050 MB per second
Write Performance	N/A	Up to 1000 MB per second
Password Protection	256-bit AES encryption	256-bit AES encryption
Water and Dust Resistance	IP55	IP55
Shock Resistant	Up to 1500G	Up to 1500G
Vibration Resistant	5 gRMS, 10-2000 Hz	5 gRMS, 10-2000 Hz
Operating Temperature	0°C to 45°C	0°C to 45°C
Storage Temperature	–20°C to 70°C	–20°C to 85°C
Warranty	3-Year Limited Warranty	5-Year Limited Warranty
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Capacity Options

The original SanDisk Extreme Portable is available in four sizes: 250 GB, 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB.

The new version of the solid state drive comes in three capacity options: 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB.

You can take a look at the model number for each capacity below:

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V1:

250 GB: SDSSDE60-250G-G25
500 GB: SDSSDE60-500G-G25
1 TB: SDSSDE60-1T00-G25
2 TB: SDSSDE60-2T00-G25

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2:

500 GB: SDSSDE61-500G-G25
1 TB: SDSSDE61-1T00-G25
2 TB: SDSSDE61-2T00-G25

Dimensions

The second generation of the Extreme Portable Solid State Drive is a little bit longer, wider and taller when compared to the first-generation.

You can take a look at the full measurements below:

Extreme Portable SSD: 3.787 in. x 1.951 in. x 0.348 in. (or 96.200 mm x 49.550 mm x 8.850 mm)
Extreme Portable SSD V2: 3.960 in. x 2.060 in. x 0.350 in. (100.540 mm x 52.420 mm x 8.950 mm)

Interface

The original SanDisk SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD uses USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) as the interface while the new release uses the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface (10 Gbps), which provides for double the amount of bandwidth when it comes to transfer speeds.

Read Performance

SanDisk made significant improvements when it comes to read performance with the newer version.

The Extreme Portable SSD V2 is 91 percent faster at maximum sequential reading speeds when compared to the Extreme Portable SSD V1.

You can check out the read speed specifications below:

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V1: Up to 550 MB per second
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2: Up to 1050 MB per second

Write Performance

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 also has great sequential writing speeds as it can top out at 1000 MB per second.

Unfortunately, SanDisk did not list any writing specs for the original Extreme Portable Solid State Drive. With that said, write speeds are normally slower than the read speeds for storage drives. With the read speed of the first version being 500MB/s, the write speed should be below that benchmark.

As a result, you should expect that the sequential write speed of the second generation Extreme Portable SSD to be significantly faster than the first generation.

Password Protection

Both solid state drives in this versus guide offer password protection through 256-bit AES encryption.

Water and Dust Resistance

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V1 and SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 have been rated for IP55 protection.

This means that both devices are shielded against dust buildup that would otherwise hinder normal functionalities.

Both are also protected against water splashes for any angle at a short distance (6.3 mm).

Shock Resistant

Furthermore, the original and new versions of the Extreme Portable Solid State Drive are shock resistant up to 1500G.

Vibration Resistant

The vibration resistance specs are also identical between the two external storage drives in this comparison guide at 5 gRMS, 10-2000 Hz.

Operating Temperature

The Extreme Portable SSD V1 and Extreme Portable SSD V2 have the same operating temperature ranges of 0°C to 45°C.

Storage Temperature

The second version of the SanDisk Extreme Portable Solid State Drive can be stored in hotter temperatures when compared to the first version.

You can find the storage temperature specs below:

Extreme Portable V1: –20°C to 70°C
Extreme Portable V2: –20°C to 85°C

Warranty

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V1 comes with a 3-Year Limited Warranty while the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 comes with a 5-Year Limited Warranty.

Resources:

SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card vs. Ultra vs. Extreme vs. Extreme Pro

by Kevin Chen

In addition to an officially licensed microSD card, SanDisk has several memory cards that are compatible with the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite with the SanDisk Ultra, SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Extreme Pro. So, which one of these is best suited for the gaming systems?

You can find out in this comparison guide.

Quick Summary

Although the SanDisk Extreme Pro has the fastest read speed out of this group, the performance for all four cards should be the same as the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite can only support read/transfer speeds of up to 95 MB per second.

We recommend picking up either the officially licensed SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card or the SanDisk Extreme Card as these two are more affordable than the SanDisk Extreme Pro while offering the same performance at loading games on the Switch and Switch Lite.

The writing speeds between the official Switch microSDXC Card, SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Extreme Pro are also identical at capacities of at least 128GB.

Although the SanDisk Ultra is the cheapest out of this group, the card has unknown writing speeds, which could lead to slower performance when it comes to certain actions, in addition to having a shorter warranty coverage period when compared to the other three memory cards.

SanDisk Nintendo microSDXC vs. Ultra vs. Extreme vs. Extreme Pro Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table between the Nintendo Switch cards below.

	SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card	SanDisk Ultra microSDHC/microSDXC Card	SanDisk Extreme microSDHC/microSDXC Card	SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDHC/microSDXC Card
Capacity Options	64 GB: SDSQXBO-064G-ANCZA 128 GB: SDSQXBO-128G-ANCZA 256 GB: SDSQXAO-256G-GNCZN 512 GB: SDSQXAO-512G-ANCZN	16 GB: SDSQUNC-016G-AN6MA 32 GB: SDSQUNC-032G-AN6MA 64 GB: SDSQUNC-064G-AN6MA 128 GB: SDSQUNC-128G-AN6MA 200 GB: SDSQUAR-200G-GN6MA 256 GB: SDSQUNI-256G-AN6MA 400 GB: SDSQUAR-400G-GN6MA 512 GB: SDSQUAR-512G-AN6MA	32 GB: SDSQXVF-032G-AN6MA 64 GB: SDSQXA2-064G-AN6MA 128 GB: SDSQXA1-128G-AN6MA 256 GB: SDSQXA1-256G-GN6MA 400 GB: SDSQXA1-400G-AN6MA 512 GB: SDSQXA1-512G-AN6MA 1 TB: SDSQXA1-1T00-AN6MA	32 GB: SDSQXCG-032G-GN6MA 64 GB: SDSQXCY-064G-GN6MA 128 GB: SDSQXCY-128G-GN6MA 256 GB: SDSQXCZ-256G-GN6MA 400 GB: SDSQXCZ-400G-GN6MA 512 GB: SDSQXCZ-512G-GN6MA 1 TB: SDSQXCZ-1T00-GN6MA
Form Factor	64GB: microSDXC 128GB: microSDXC 256GB: microSDXC 512GB: microSDXC	16GB: microSDHC 32GB: microSDHC 64GB: microSDXC 128GB: microSDXC 200GB: microSDXC 256GB: microSDXC 400GB: microSDXC 512GB: microSDXC	32GB: microSDHC 64GB: microSDXC 128GB: microSDXC 200GB: microSDXC 256GB: microSDXC 400GB: microSDXC 512GB: microSDXC 1TB: microSDXC	32GB: microSDHC 64GB: microSDXC 128GB: microSDXC 200GB: microSDXC 256GB: microSDXC 400GB: microSDXC 512GB: microSDXC 1TB: microSDXC
Bus Interface	UHS-I	UHS-I	UHS-I	UHS-I
Sequential Read/Transfer Performance	64GB: Up to 100 MB per second 128GB: Up to 100 MB per second 256GB: Up to 100 MB per second 512GB: Up to 100 MB per second	16GB: Up to 98 MB per second 32GB: Up to 98 MB per second 64GB: Up to 100 MB per second 128GB: Up to 100 MB per second 200GB: Up to 100 MB per second 256GB: Up to 100 MB per second 400GB: Up to 100 MB per second 512GB: Up to 100 MB per second	32GB: Up to 100 MB per second 64GB: Up to 160 MB per second 128GB: Up to 160 MB per second 256GB: Up to 160 MB per second 400GB: Up to 160 MB per second 512GB: Up to 160 MB per second 1TB: Up to 160 MB per second	32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second 64GB: Up to 170 MB per second 128GB: Up to 170 MB per second 256GB: Up to 170 MB per second 400GB: Up to 170 MB per second 512GB: Up to 170 MB per second 1TB: Up to 170 MB per second
Sequential Write Performance	64GB: Up to 60 MB per second 128GB: Up to 90 MB per second 256GB: Up to 90 MB per second 512GB: Up to 90 MB per second	N/A	32GB: Up to 60 MB per second 64GB: Up to 60 MB per second 128GB: Up to 90 MB per second 256GB: Up to 90 MB per second 400GB: Up to 90 MB per second 512GB: Up to 90 MB per second 1TB: Up to 90 MB per second	32GB: Up to 90 MB per second 64GB: Up to 90 MB per second 128GB: Up to 90 MB per second 256GB: Up to 90 MB per second 400GB: Up to 90 MB per second 512GB: Up to 90 MB per second 1TB: Up to 90 MB per second
Operating Temperature Range	-13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C)	-13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C)	-13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C)	-13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C)
Storage Temperature Range	-40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C)	-40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C)	-40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C)	-40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C)
Warranty	Lifetime Limited Warranty	10-Year Limited Warranty	Lifetime Limited Warranty	Lifetime Limited Warranty
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Supported Nintendo Switch Memory Cards

The Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite supports the following form factors:

microSD
microSDHC
microSDXC

Nintendo Switch Memory Card Recommend Specs

Nintendo recommends that you use a memory card that has a bus interface of UHS-I.

Although you can also use UHS-II memory cards with your Switch and/or Switch Lite, your speeds will be limited to the UHS-I specifications. Thus, there is no reason to get an UHS-II memory card over an UHS-I memory card for your Switch system.

The other recommend specification is the read/transfer speed as Nintendo suggests the specs to be at least 60 MB per second. You will get a better gameplay experience, such as better load times, with higher read speeds.

However, both the Switch and Switch Lite only supports a maximum reading speed of up to 95 megabytes per second. So, even if you have a memory card with a much faster speed, you will be bottlenecked to 95 MB/s.

Thus, there is no point in getting a memory card that has a read/transfer speed that is significantly above 98 MB.

Capacity Options

All four of the Switch compatible memory cards in this versus guide are available in capacities of 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. The SanDisk Ultra also offers 16GB and 32GB options.

The SanDisk Extreme and SanDisk Extreme Pro are available in 32GB as well as 1TB.

If you download a lot of games and/or downloadable content, then we recommend getting the biggest capacity you can afford for the extra convenience of not having to delete anything and/or swap out cards if you ran out of free space.

You can find the model number for the capacity options of each product below:

SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card:

64 GB: SDSQXBO-064G-ANCZA
128 GB: SDSQXBO-128G-ANCZA
256 GB: SDSQXAO-256G-GNCZN
512 GB: SDSQXAO-512G-ANCZN

SanDisk Ultra:

16 GB: SDSQUNC-016G-AN6MA
32 GB: SDSQUNC-032G-AN6MA
64 GB: SDSQUNC-064G-AN6MA
128 GB: SDSQUNC-128G-AN6MA
200 GB: SDSQUAR-200G-GN6MA
256 GB: SDSQUNI-256G-AN6MA
400 GB: SDSQUAR-400G-GN6MA
512 GB: SDSQUAR-512G-AN6MA

SanDisk Extreme:

32 GB: SDSQXVF-032G-AN6MA
64 GB: SDSQXA2-064G-AN6MA
128 GB: SDSQXA1-128G-AN6MA
256 GB: SDSQXA1-256G-GN6MA
400 GB: SDSQXA1-400G-AN6MA
512 GB: SDSQXA1-512G-AN6MA
1 TB: SDSQXA1-1T00-AN6MA

SanDisk Extreme Pro:

32 GB: SDSQXCG-032G-GN6MA
64 GB: SDSQXCY-064G-GN6MA
128 GB: SDSQXCY-128G-GN6MA
256 GB: SDSQXCZ-256G-GN6MA
400 GB: SDSQXCZ-400G-GN6MA
512 GB: SDSQXCZ-512G-GN6MA
1 TB: SDSQXCZ-1T00-GN6MA

Form Factor

The 32 GB version SanDisk Extreme, 32 GB version of SanDisk Extreme as well as the 16 GB and 32 GB versions of the SanDisk Ultra use microSDHC as the form factor.

The rest of the cards, which are at least 64 GB, use microSDXC.

You can find the full breakdown of the form factors for each capacity below:

64GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: microSDXC
128GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: microSDXC
256GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: microSDXC
512GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: microSDXC

16GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDHC
32GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDHC
64GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
128GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
200GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
256GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
400GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC
512GB SanDisk Ultra: microSDXC

32GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDHC
64GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
128GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
256GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
400GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
512GB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC
1TB SanDisk Extreme: microSDXC

32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDHC
64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
256GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
400GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
512GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC
1TB SanDisk Extreme Pro: microSDXC

Bus Interface

The SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card, SanDisk Ultra microSDXC Card, SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Card and SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC Card utilize UHS-I as the bus interface.

Sequential Read/Transfer Performance

When it comes to the sequential read/transfer performance, all capacities of four memory cards in this comparison are faster than the aforementioned recommend speed of 95 MB per second.

Although the SanDisk Extreme Pro is the fastest of the group, it doesn’t matter when it comes to the loading Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite games as the speed will top out at 95MB/s.

You can check out the sequential read/transfer speed specifications below:

64GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 100 MB per second
128GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 100 MB per second
256GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 100 MB per second
512GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 100 MB per second

16GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 98 MB per second
32GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 98 MB per second
64GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
128GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
200GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
256GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
400GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second
512GB SanDisk Ultra: Up to 100 MB per second

32GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 100 MB per second
64GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
128GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
256GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
400GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
512GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second
1TB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 160 MB per second

32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
256GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
400GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
512GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second
1TB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 170 MB per second

Sequential Write Performance

With the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite, you can save downloadable games and other software, patches and title updates, DLC and expansions in addition to screenshots and videos on a memory card.

The sequential write speed determines how fast data are saved to the storage.

The 32GB SanDisk Extreme, 64GB SanDisk Extreme and 64GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card have sequential write speeds of up to 60 MB per second while the other cards come with write speeds of up to 90 MB per second.

Unfortunately, the writing specs were not listed for any of the capacities of the SanDisk Ultra.

You can take a look at the writing speed specifications below:

64GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 60 MB per second
128GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 90 MB per second
256GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 90 MB per second
512GB SanDisk Nintendo Switch Card: Up to 90 MB per second

16GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
32GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
64GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
128GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
200GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
256GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
400GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A
512GB SanDisk Ultra: N/A

32GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 60 MB per second
64GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 60 MB per second
128GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
256GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
400GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
512GB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second
1TB SanDisk Extreme: Up to 90 MB per second

32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
64GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
128GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
256GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
400GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
512GB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second
1TB SanDisk Extreme Pro: Up to 90 MB per second

Operating Temperature Range

The SanDisk memory cards have the same operating temperature ranges of -13°F to 185°F (or -25°C to 85°C).

Storage Temperature Range

The four products also have identical storage temperature ranges of -40°F to 185°F (or -40°C to 85°C).

Warranty

The SanDisk Ultra microSDXC Card comes with a 10-Year Limited Warranty. The SanDisk Nintendo Switch microSDXC Card, SanDisk Extreme microSDXC Card and SanDisk Extreme Pro microSDXC each come with a Lifetime Limited Warranty.

Resources:

What’s the difference between the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V1 and V2?

by Kevin Chen

Cooler Master recently released the second version of the Hyper 212 EVO. So, how does the new model compare to the original?

You can find out in this comparison guide between the two CPU air coolers.

Quick Summary

When compared to the original, the newer Hyper 212 EVO V2 CPU Air Cooler adds support for the LGA775 socket and provides an asymmetrical tilt for 100% RAM clearance.

The second version also use the SickleFlow 120 Fan, which results in quieter airflow. Last but not least, the Hyper 212 EVO V2 is a lot more durable than the original with an expected lifespan that is four times as long.

The Hyper 212 EVO V1 CPU Air Cooler has faster minimum and maximum fan speeds that produces more air flow and air pressure when compared to the newer model.

Hyper 212 EVO V1 vs. Hyper 212 EVO V2 Comparison Chart

You can take a look at Seeking Tech’s comparison table for the two air coolers below.

	Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V1 CPU Air Cooler	Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 CPU Air Cooler
CPU Socket	AM4 AM3+ AM3 AM2+ AM2 FM2+ FM2 FM1 LGA2066 LGA2011-v3 LGA2011 LGA1366 LGA1200 LGA1156 LGA1155 LGA1151 LGA1150	AM4 AM3+ AM3 AM2+ AM2 FM2+ FM2 FM1 LGA2066 LGA2011-v3 LGA2011 LGA1366 LGA1200 LGA1156 LGA1155 LGA1151 LGA1150 LGA775
Dimensions	120 mm x 80 mm x 159 mm or 4.7 inches x 3.1 inches x 6.3 inches	120 mm x 80 mm x 155 mm or 4.7 inches x 3.1 inches x 6.1 inches
Heat Sink Material	Aluminum fins 4x Direct contact heat pipes	Aluminum fins 4x Direct contact heat pipes
Asymmetrical Tilt?	No	Yes
Heat Pipe Configuration	Continuous Direct Contact	Direct Contact
Angled X-Vents?	No	Yes
Fan Type	Wide-Range PWM Fan	SickleFlow 120 Fan
Fan Dimensions	120 mm x 120 mm x 25 mm (or 4.7 inches x 4.7 inches x 1 inch)	120 mm x 120 mm x 25 mm (or 4.7 inches x 4.7 inches x 1 inch)
Fan Speed	600 RPM to 2,000 RPM (PWM) ± 10%	650 RPM to 1,800 RPM (PWM) ± 10%
Fan Airflow	Up to 82.9 CFM	Up to 62.0 CFM
Fan Air Pressure	2.70 mmH2O	2.52 mmH2O
Fan Noise Level	9 dBA to 36 dBA	8 dBA to 26 dBA
Fan Power Connector	4-Pin	4-Pin
Fan Rated Voltage	12VDC	12VDC
Fan Rated Current	0.22A	0.15A
Lifespan	40,000 hours	160,000 hours
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

CPU Socket

With the new version, Cooler Master added support for LGA775. Otherwise, the two CPU coolers support the same AMD and Intel sockets.

You can find the compatibility lists below:

Hyper 212 EVO V1:

AM4
AM3+
AM3
AM2+
AM2
FM2+
FM2
FM1
LGA2066
LGA2011-v3
LGA2011
LGA1366
LGA1200
LGA1156
LGA1155
LGA1151
LGA1150

Hyper 212 EVO V2:

AM4
AM3+
AM3
AM2+
AM2
FM2+
FM2
FM1
LGA2066
LGA2011-v3
LGA2011
LGA1366
LGA1200
LGA1156
LGA1155
LGA1151
LGA1150
LGA775

Dimensions

The updated version is a little bit smaller when compared to the original.

You can take a look at the measurements below:

Hyper 212 EVO V1: 120 mm x 80 mm x 159 mm or 4.7 inches x 3.1 inches x 6.3 inches
Hyper 212 EVO V2: 120 mm x 80 mm x 155 mm or 4.7 inches x 3.1 inches x 6.1 inches

Heat Sink Material

The heat sinks of both central processing unit coolers are made with aluminum fins and four direct contact heat pipes.

Asymmetrical Tilt

With the Hyper 212 EVO V2, Cooler Master uses an asymmetrical tilt, which is designed to provide 100% clearance for your RAM.

Heat Pipe Configuration

The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V1 uses the Continuous Direct Contact technology, which does not include any gaps to create a smooth surface for heat conduction.

The new Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2 uses the Direct Contact, which maximizes the surface area for heat dissipation.

Angled X-Vents

The second iteration of the Hyper 212 EVO utilizes angled X shaped vents to direct airflow towards the heat pipes for cooling.

Fan Type

The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V1 CPU Air Cooler is equipped with a wide-range PWM Fan that has wave-shaped blades while the Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V1 CPU Air Cooler is equipped with a SickleFlow 120 Fan that has curved blades.

Fan Dimensions

The fans for both CPU coolers have the same size with measurements of 120 mm x 120 mm x 25 mm (or 4.7 inches x 4.7 inches x 1 inch).

Fan Speed

When compared to the original, the Hyper 212 EVO V2 has a faster minimum fans speeds but slower maximum fans speeds.

You can take a look at the specifications below:

Hyper 212 EVO V1: 600 RPM to 2,000 RPM (PWM) ± 10%
Hyper 212 EVO V2: 650 RPM to 1,800 RPM (PWM) ± 10%

Fan Airflow

The first version of the Hyper 212 EVO provides more airflow when compared to the newer model.

You can find the fan airflow specs below:

Hyper 212 EVO V1: Up to 82.9 CFM
Hyper 212 EVO V2: Up to 62.0 CFM

Fan Air Pressure

The fan of the original model also produces more air pressure than the second version:

Hyper212 EVO V1: 2.70 mmH2O
Hyper212 EVO V2: 2.52 mmH2O

Fan Noise Level

Cooler Master made the Hyper 212 EVO Version 2 quieter than the Hyper 212 EVO Version 1 as the newer model has lower minimum and maximum decibel levels.

You can take a look at the fan noise level specs below:

Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V1: 9 dBA to 36 dBA
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO V2: 8 dBA to 26 dBA

Fan Power Connector

Both computer coolers use a 4-Pin power connector.

Fan Rated Voltage

The fan rated voltages are the same at 12VDC.

Fan Rated Current

The new model has a lower fan rated current than the original CPU cooler:

Hyper 212 EVO V1: 0.22A
Hyper 212 EVO V2: 0.15A

Lifespan

According to Cooler Master, the second version of the Hyper 212 EVO CPU Air Cooler is expected to last four times as long as the original.

You can take a look at the expected lifespans for both products below:

Hyper 212 EVO Version 1: 40,000 hours
Hyper 212 EVO Version 2: 160,000 hours

Resources:

What’s the difference between the 970 PRO and 980 PRO?

by Kevin Chen

Samsung recently released the 980 PRO NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive. So, how does the new internal storage drive stack up against the similar 970 PRO NVMe?

You can find out in this comparison guide between the two SSDs.

Quick Summary

When compared to the 970 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD, the 980 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD is faster when it comes to maximum sequential read speed over PCIe 4.0, maximum sequential write speed over PCIe 4.0, maximum random read speed over PCIe 4.0, maximum random write speed over PCIe 4.0, maximum sequential write speed over PCIe 3.0, maximum random read speed over PCIe 3.0 and maximum random write speed over PCIe 3.0.

Both solid state drives have the same maximum sequential read speed over PCIe 3.0.

With that said, the Samsung 970 PRO has much better endurance than the Samsung 980 PRO as you can write twice the amount of data on the 970 PRO when compared to 980 PRO.

If you want the best speeds, then you should get the 980 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD.

If you want your storage drive to last as long as possible, then you may want to get the 970 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD instead.

970 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD vs. 980 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD Comparison Chart

You can check out Seeking Tech’s comparison table for these two Samsung SSDs below.

	Samsung 970 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD	Samsung 980 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD
Capacity Options	512 GB 970 PRO: MZ-V7P512BW 1 TB 970 PRO: MZ-V7P1T0BW	250 GB 980 PRO: MZ-V8P250B/AM 500 GB 980 PRO: MZ-V8P500B/AM 1 TB 980 PRO: MZ-V8P1T0B/AM
Interface	PCIe Gen 3.0 x4, NVMe 1.3	PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 1.3c
Form Factor	M.2 2280	M.2 2280
Storage Memory Technology	Samsung V-NAND 2-bit MLC	Samsung V-NAND 2-bit MLC
Controller	Samsung Phoenix Controller	Samsung Elpis Controller
Sequential Read Speed over PCIe 4.0	512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second 1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second	250 GB Samsung 980: Up to 6,400 MB per second 500 GB Samsung 980: Up to 6,900 MB per second 1 TB Samsung 980: Up to 7,000 MB per second
Sequential Write Speed over PCIe 4.0	512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 2,300 MB per second 1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 2,700 MB per second	250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 2,700 MB per second 500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 5,000 MB per second 1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 5,000 MB per second
Random Read Speed over PCIe 4.0	512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 370K IOPS 1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 500K IOPS	250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS 500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS 1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS
Random Write Speed over PCIe 4.0	512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 500K IOPS 1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 500K IOPS	250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS 500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS 1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS
Sequential Read Speed over PCIe 3.0	512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second 1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second	250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second 500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second 1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second
Sequential Write Speed over PCIe 3.0	512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 2,300 MB per second 1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 2,700 MB per second	250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 2,700 MB per second 500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 3,400 MB per second 1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 3,450 MB per second
Random Read Speed over PCIe 3.0	512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 370K IOPS 1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 500K IOPS	250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 560K IOPS 500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 690K IOPS 1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 690K IOPS
Random Write Speed over PCIe 3.0	512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 500,000 IOPS 1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 500,000 IOPS	250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 620K IOPS 500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 620K IOPS 1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 660K IOPS
Endurance	512 GB 970 PRO: 600 TBW 1 TB 970 PRO: 1,200 TBW	250 GB 980 PRO: 150 TBW 500 GB 980 PRO: 300 TBW 1 TB 980 PRO: 600 TBW
Data Encryption	AES 256-bit Full Disk Encryption Encrypted Drive (IEEE1667) TCG/Opal V2.0	AES 256-bit Full Disk Encryption Encrypted Drive (IEEE1667) TCG/Opal V2.0
Management Software	Samsung Magician Software	Samsung Magician Software
Warranty	5 years or sooner based on TBW	5 years or sooner based on TBW
Pricing	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)	Check price on Amazon.(#CommissionsEarned)

Capacity Options

The Samsung 980 PRO comes in three size options as you can choose between 250 GB, 500 GB and 1 TB.

The older Samsung 970 PRO is available at either 512 GB and 1 TB.

You can take a look at the model number for each capacity option for both internal solid state drives below:

512 GB 970 PRO: MZ-V7P512BW
1 TB 970 PRO: MZ-V7P1T0BW

250 GB 980 PRO: MZ-V8P250B/AM
500 GB 980 PRO: MZ-V8P500B/AM
1 TB 980 PRO: MZ-V8P1T0B/AM

Interface

The 970 PRO uses the PCIe Gen 3.0 x4, NVMe 1.3 interface while the 980 PRO uses the newer PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 1.3c interface.

Form Factor

Both internal solid-state drives in this versus guide utilize the M.2 2280 form factor.

Storage Memory Technology

When it comes to storage memory technology, the Samsung 970 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD and 980 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD are equipped with the Samsung V-NAND 2-bit MLC.

Controller

The 970 PRO uses the Samsung Phoenix Controller while the 980 PRO uses the Samsung Elpis Controller.

Sequential Read Speed over PCIe 4.0

If you pair the Samsung 970 PRO on a motherboard with the PCIe 4.0 interface, you will be limited to PCIe 3.0 speeds.

When compared to the 512GB version of 970 PRO, the 500GB version of the 980 PRO is 97 percent faster at maximum sequential reads.

When compared to the 1TB version of the 970 PRO, the 1TB version of the 980 Pro is 100 percent faster.

You can take a look at the PCIe 4.0 sequential read speed specifications below:

512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second
1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 3,500 MB per second

250 GB Samsung 980: Up to 6,400 MB per second
500 GB Samsung 980: Up to 6,900 MB per second
1 TB Samsung 980: Up to 7,000 MB per second

Sequential Write Speed over PCIe 4.0

For maximum sequential writes, the 500GB 980 PRO is 117 percent faster than the 512GB 970 PRO while the 1TB 980 PRO is 85 percent faster than the 1TB 970 PRO.

You can take a look at the PCIe 4.0 sequential writing speeds below:

512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 2,300 MB per second
1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 2,700 MB per second

250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 2,700 MB per second
500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 5,000 MB per second
1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 5,000 MB per second

Random Read Speed over PCIe 4.0

For the maximum random read speeds, the 500GB 980 PRO is 170% faster than the 512GB 970 PRO while the 1TB 980 PRO is 100% faster than the 1TB 970 PRO.

You can check out the random read specs over PCIe 4.0 below:

512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 370K IOPS
1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 500K IOPS

250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS
500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS
1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS

Random Write Speed over PCIe 4.0

The Samsung 980 PRO is 100 percent faster than the Samsung 970 PRO at random writes over PCIe 4.0:

512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 500K IOPS
1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 500K IOPS

250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS
500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS
1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 1,000K IOPS

Sequential Read Speed over PCIe 3.0

You can also use the new 980 PRO on motherboards with PCIe 3.0 although you will get slower speeds as opposed to paring the same internal solid state drive with a PCIe 4.0 slot.

The Samsung 970 PRO SSD and Samsung 980 PRO SSD have the same maximum sequential read speed over PCIe 3.0 at up to 3,500 MB per second.

Sequential Write Speed over PCIe 3.0

When you compare the similar capacities, the 500GB version of the 980 PRO is 48 percent faster than the 512GB version of the 970 PRO when it comes to PCIe 3.0 maximum sequential writes.

The 1TB version of the 980 PRO is 28 percent faster than the 1TB version of the 970 PRO.

You can find the PCIe 3.0 sequential write specifications below:

512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 2,300 MB per second
1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 2,700 MB per second

250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 2,700 MB per second
500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 3,400 MB per second
1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 3,450 MB per second

Random Read Speed over PCIe 3.0

The 500GB 980 PRO is 86 percent faster than the 512 GB 970 PRO while the 1TB 980 PRO is 38 percent faster than the 1TB 970 PRO at random reads over PCIe 3.0:

512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 370K IOPS
1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 500K IOPS

250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 560K IOPS
500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 690K IOPS
1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 690K IOPS

Random Write Speed over PCIe 3.0

Last but not least, the 500GB 980 PRO is 24 percent faster than the 512GB 970 PRO while the 1TB 980 PRO is 32 percent faster than the 1TB 970 PRO at random writes over PCIe 3.0.

You can find that specification below:

512 GB 970 PRO: Up to 500,000 IOPS
1 TB 970 PRO: Up to 500,000 IOPS

250 GB 980 PRO: Up to 620K IOPS
500 GB 980 PRO: Up to 620K IOPS
1 TB 980 PRO: Up to 660K IOPS

Endurance

For the uninformed, endurance measures how much data can be written on a solid state drive during its expected lifespan.

The 970 PRO has a big advantage in this category as you can write twice the amount of data on the 512GB 970 PRO than the 500GB 980 PRO.

You can also write twice the amount on the 1TB 970 PRO when compared to the 1TB 980 PRO.

You can find the endurance specs below:

512 GB 970 PRO: 600 TBW
1 TB 970 PRO: 1,200 TBW

250 GB 980 PRO: 150 TBW
500 GB 980 PRO: 300 TBW
1 TB 980 PRO: 600 TBW

Data Encryption

Both solid state drives come with the following data encryption features:

AES 256-bit Full Disk Encryption
Encrypted Drive (IEEE1667)
TCG/Opal V2.0

Management Software

Both products support the Samsung Magician Software, which is used to check out the health of the storage drive, optimize performance, protect sensitive data and update firmware.

Warranty

The Samsung 970 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD and Samsung 980 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD each come with a five-year limited warranty or sooner if you reach the aforementioned TBW threshold.

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