#How To Make Laptop Speakers Louder Windows 10
Link
I'll let you know how you may enhance or improve your laptop computer audio system’ quantity in your Windows 7, eight or 10, working system. Typically or more often than not, you watch a video or a film, you're feeling that your laptop computer’s quantity is just not sufficient for you. So, you wish to know precisely how to make laptop speakers louder windows 10.
#How To Make Laptop Speakers Louder Windows 10#Make Laptop Speakers Louder Windows#speakers#laptopspeaker
0 notes
Text
Living Life Through a Lens: Chapter Ten
Chapter 10: Surprise!
Word Count: 5.5K
Warnings: None
A/N: Hello! We’re back to Y/N’s POV in this chapter. Thanks for reading(:
[4:04 AM NZST]
Attention. The flight from Auckland New Zealand to Toronto Canada will be boarding in 15 minutes, please remember to have your ticket and passport ready at the gate.
You let out a deep sigh as you sat back in a chair now at the airport gate. Whether it was from the lack of sleep or the mission it was just to get here, you could feel a headache coming on. Getting from the hotel to the airport was what you imagined trekking through hell would be like.
Hoping that the back entrance would be empty like the last time you had used it, it wasn’t. There were only more paparazzi and they were much, much louder this time. What didn’t help was the fact that the sun hadn’t risen yet, so all of their flashes were on in hopes of getting the perfect snapshot. Security was tighter on the job this time too, so you felt extra tense with the little space they gave you on the way into the van.
Lex sat next to you and handed you a bottle of pills. “For the pounding headache that I know you and I both have,” is all she said. When Jennie had left your room to return back to her members, you remembered going straight to Lex’s room. It felt like Christmas morning. She of course was passed out, but in the middle of your excitement you had turned on her lights and jumped on her bed. Lex was patient, but waking her up from deep sleep was something you did not want to do often. After telling her about the conversation you and Jennie had, in a very polite but terrifying voice she said, “I can’t say that I’m surprised, really. Y/N I am really happy for you. I am. But if I get a headache later, I’m killing you.”
Trying to avoid falling asleep you got up and started walking around the chairs. Eventually you felt someone hook your arm with theirs, looking over it was Lisa. She had a big grin and was oddly energetic despite it being so early in the morning. She was always so happy, which made you happy. “I’m really happy for you and Jennie-unnie. When she got back to the room, she woke us up and was so giddy. Like school-girl crush kind of giddy.”
You chuckled at her confession, “thank you Lisa, it means a lot to me that it’s okay with you. There’s nothing that’s official just yet, so I don’t want to make things a big deal. But hey, I know this is random, but I wanted to ask you if you wanted to watch this film on the plane with me. There’s some really good basic shots in it that I think you could learn.”
“I would love to watch it with you! And I hate to burst your bubble but I’m afraid you're too late for that, Y/N. The members and I have known for a long time, and we couldn’t tease her then. Now it’s all we joke about. Jennie-unnie, she has plans for yo–” Before she could finish there was another announcement that beamed loudly over the speakers saying that the plane was now boarding and to make your way over to the gate.
After settling in your seats and listening to the standard in-flight passenger announcements, you put the film you wanted to show Lisa on your laptop and set it in front of you both. The film was a standard two-hours, but it took longer as you paused in between and mentioned the shots you wanted Lisa to take note of. Lisa’s professionalism was admirable to you, she gave all her attention and was genuinely invested in what you had to say. It’s no wonder that you’ve heard so much about her ability to learn quickly and her attention for detail.
The plane ride back home was a lengthy 18-hour flight with no transfers in between. After showing Lisa the film, you knocked out. It was a smooth flight to begin with but near the end there was some minor turbulence. In your sleep you could feel your surroundings shake, at first it was light and then a sudden jerk to the right caused you to hit your head hard against the airplane window. While rubbing the spot that collided with the window you looked over to where Lisa was sitting to make sure she was okay, only it wasn’t Lisa, but Jennie. You were unsure of when they switched, and you smiled at the thought of them switching. Was it Jennie who asked? Or was it Lisa who got up and switched? Jennie had wanted to sit next to you on the plane, but you told her you wanted to teach Lisa some film techniques. To make up for it, you told her you would sit next to her in the van on the way home when you landed. Unphased by the turbulence Jennie was soundly sleeping and was sandwiched in between two pillows. How could someone look so pretty sleeping? you thought.
Unable to get back to sleep, you switched on the screen that was embedded in the headrest of the seat in front of you. Once it was on, it showed a map of the world and a little airplane following a line running from New Zealand to Canada. Flight time: approx. two hours remaining, it read. To kill time, you decided to check your emails and messages.
1 new email from Mom and Dad
Clicking on the email, it opened up to a collection of photos and a short message.
Hey honey, its mom and dad,
Just wanted to show you a few shots from Switzerland, Italy and Greece! We hope you aren’t working too hard. We miss you and wish you could join us.
Love you always,
Mom and Dad
Scrolling through the photos, you smiled and laughed at each one. Certainly, one of the best perks of your job was making a lot of money. It felt odd splurging on yourself so after investing in the lake house you’ve always wanted, you also wanted to repay a portion of what your parents had sacrificed for you; by paying off their house and sending them on vacations all around the world. The only thing you wanted them to stress about was where they wanted to go next. It made you happy to see them smiling so widely.
After answering the tons of business emails you had stockpiled, you moved on to your Instagram messages. One message was from your friend back home, Skarlet, or as you called her, Skar.
Skar: I miss you): Lex told me you're coming back home for awhile! Let’s do dinner?
You: Word travels fast ahaha. But yes I will be home. How does dinner at my place sound?
Skar: Sounds good! Can I bring a friend? Also which place, text me the address?
You: of course, I’ll do it when I land(: how about dinner on Friday? We still need a days to settle in.
Skar: oh right! Sounds great. see you then!(:
By the time you got through the majority of emails and messages the plane was about to land. It took a couple taps on her shoulder, but eventually Jennie woke up. “We’re landing,” you said quietly. Soon after the flight attendant got on the microphone:
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, we are about to land soon at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The current time is 6:10 AM and you can expect the weather in Toronto to be clear skies and a warm temperature of 25°C (77°F). As always, thank you for flying with Qantas Airways. Bien–
The same message was going to repeat in French but you ignored it and started packing up your things.
…
“Jennie! Look here!” “Lisa!” “Jisoo!” “Rosé! How does it feel to be in Canada?” “Y/N! How is the documentary going?” “How long do you plan to stay–”
The shouting of the paparazzi was always the same, the only thing that was different this time around was the amount of security surrounding you. An assemblage of both personal security and airport staff escorted you all to the van and instead of travelling in groups, you had to travel separately. The sound became muffled once you got in the van and the door closed.
Travelling with Blackpink only made the media situation worse, it was never this bad alone. A few photographers would show up to the airport but never so much that you needed all the extra security and staff. Wanting to focus on less chaotic things, you thought of how calming it was to be back home. Of all the places you could call home in the world, returning to where you grew up was something you looked forward to after a long trip. Once out of the city, you cracked open a window to enjoy the fresh air that could only be enjoyed out in the backroads.
“Are you happy to be home?” Jennie asked.
“Yes. Always. But even more so that you’re with me.” You whispered in her ear.
When you pulled away you noticed Jennie blushing and covering her face with her hands. It’s been so long that you’ve had to flirt with someone, but it wasn’t hard to make Jennie smile and it was even easier making her shy. Internally you cringed at saying cute stuff like this, but it was amusing to watch Jennie’s reaction, so you happily obliged. The things I do for you Jennie Kim.
…
Finally, the van pulled into your driveway and when the driver opened the door you ran out and stretched. From off the airplane, through security, to the van and the two-hour drive here, you weren’t given time to breathe let alone stretch. You looked around and took a deep breath. The air that filled your lungs was so crisp and clean in comparison to the emission filled air in the city. Whenever you were home from shooting, staying near the major cities was a must in order to conduct the usual business that was your job. And so, you would always stay at Irene’s or your own apartment, rarely ever out here.
Thanksgiving and other holidays were the only times you could take advantage of this place, so to be here when it wasn’t a holiday felt odd, but good because of the company you were keeping.
Never really appreciating its beauty you looked at your house from the gravel driveway in which you stood. It was contemporary in style with the exterior made of dark granite colored wood panels, large exposed metal post-beams and local granite. Off to the side there was a wraparound deck that was made of plank wood flooring, glass and black steel railings which provided a breathtaking view of the sunset. All around, there were large windows that could also serve as doors into the house.
The girls stood beside you in the same spot as your suitcases were being pulled out of the trunk. Their jaws hung open and they too, were taking in the fresh air and beautiful sight.
As Lisa was pulling her camera out she asked, “Y/N… This is your house? You own this?”
Unintentionally boasting you said, “it’s one of them. But of all the properties I own, this was the only one that’s private. We won’t have to worry about paparazzi here. Shall I give you guys a tour?”
To get to the front door from the driveway you had to walk up three wooden stairs and through a walkway that was lined with glass railing. As soon as you opened the front door you walked into a small foyer. The only options from here were to go left or straight. To the left was a closet to put your jackets and shoes in. Straight ahead and a few feet from the foyer was a glass wall and looking through to the other side lead to a staircase that went up or down, indicating that there were at least three levels to the house.
Walking closer toward the glass wall you could turn right and see the kitchen, dining area and living room which was an open concept. To the left was a hallway that lead to the staircase you previously saw through the glass. The majority of the house was made of natural materials, and so the colours were very monotone; only black, white, grey and light browns existed. The only source of vibrant colours was from some of the furniture that filled the room, and even then, the majority of the furniture was white or black in color.
Walking further into the kitchen there was a long island that extended to the left of the room and behind it was the kitchen sink, cupboards, fridge, dishwasher and etc. On the other side of the island was the dining area with a long picnic style dining table that could seat at least a dozen people. Directly in front of the dining table were large floor-to-ceiling windows that also served as doors to the wraparound deck. In this open concept room, there was rarely a need for electrical lighting as the large floor-to-ceiling windows provided lots of natural light. To the right of the kitchen was a small living room area, filled with monotone coloured furniture and lit by large windows, which was a common theme around the house.
Wanting to take the girls to their rooms, you lead them back to the beginning and continued on through the hallway that lead to the staircase featured behind the glass wall. Upstairs there were only three rooms; the master and two spare bedrooms. The first room was already reserved by Lex as you could hear her taking a phone call through the door; and not wanting to disturb her you took them to the next spare bedroom.
By leaving her suitcase next to the bed, Jennie indicated that she would be staying in the first spare bedroom. Immediately as you walked in you saw a bed on your right and on the wall adjacent, hung a TV. The room was modest in size and had its own bathroom and closet. The running theme in this room was a dark navy blue which was a nice accent to the light coffee coloured walls. After no objections from the rest of the girls you moved on to show them your bedroom which was further down the hallway.
Walking in through the door there was a large mirror that leaned against the wall. Further inside there was your bed which was stationed in front of a large window which showed a view of the lake. On the other side of your room was your bathroom and closet. The abundance of white in both these rooms in addition to the natural lighting that flowed in through the windows only brightened the room further. There was nothing special about this room other than it was larger than the rest, as if to emphasize that most of your time should be spent in the common areas of the house. It was a lake house built for family time after all.
Taking the girls back to the staircase, you led them all the way downstairs. As you got off the stairs it immediately led to another sitting area, which again was lit by a large window overlooking the lake. To the left was a hallway that lead to the other bedrooms. The first room was on the right. The theme in this room was a deep red that made up some of the pillows on the bed, the large painting that hung on the left wall and the clock that stood on the dresser. In the far corner of the room was a door that lead to the bathroom. This room would become Lisa’s.
Across from it was another bedroom exactly the same which would be Jisoo’s. The only difference was that the colour of the room was purple. The final room at the end of the hallway was left to Rosé, which she happily took if it meant that she didn’t have to share a room with Lisa. It was a little smaller than the rest of the spare bedrooms but what made up for the fact, was the large floor-to-ceiling window that lead out to the wraparound deck and view of the lake.
Wanting to give them time to unpack you quickly ran upstairs to see if there was food in the fridge. There was enough for two days, but for the amount of time you planned to stay here you most definitely would have to make a trip to the grocery store in town. Lex finally made herself known and came down to the kitchen to sit on one of the chairs next to the island.
After taking notice of your thinking face, she asked “what do you need?”
You sighed, “well for one there’s not enough food in the fridge and as much as I would like to show the girls around town and get groceries, I can’t risk people noticing them and following us here. I know I said to enjoy and relax while we’re here, but would you mind going out? One last errand and you don’t have to be my assistant for three weeks. And two, I might have invited Skar and a friend here for dinner in two days… so we’ll need even more food for that.”
Not needing to ask twice, Lex was already on her way out the door with the long list you had given her. Moments later and as if they were magnets, all of the girls came into the kitchen at the exact same time. You were staring out at the lake through the windows when they arrived.
“It’s beautiful here Y/N. We have been here less than an hour and I could already feel myself relax. Thank you for taking us here.” You heard Rosé say.
You laughed and said, “I wish you guys would stop thanking me, but please enjoy your time here. What’s mine is yours.”
Lisa joined you at the window with her camera still in her hands. Pointing out to the boat parked next to the dock she asked, “do you know how to drive that? Can we go for a ride?”
In your head she sounded like a little kid. You could hear the excitement and wonder in her voice. To answer her question you replied, “yes I do and yes we can. But first did you guys want to eat?” They all perked up at the mention of food, which made you chuckle to yourself.
…
Some time had passed in between now and after eating. What you were feeling you were sure was peak happiness. Sitting in the living room you were simply enjoying each other’s company. It was the perfect time to bring up the dinner you had planned for tomorrow.
Slowly easing in you asked, “do you guys remember how I mentioned that I had wanted you guys to meet some of my friends if I ever got the chance? Well in about… two days I would like to introduce you to some. Don’t worry though, there are only three and that includes Lex. I hope you don’t mind?”
Naturally they were a bit timid, but they still showed some excitement as it meant they got to know more about you. After the food had settled, you took them out to the dock to enjoy the water. Jennie didn’t want to get on the boat because of her motion sickness, and Jisoo wanted to keep her company so she stayed with her, while you took Lisa and Rosé out for a ride.
Once safely away from the dock and out in the middle of the lake, you asked Lisa if she wanted to drive. Rosé egged her on while taking a picture of Lisa with her hands on the wheel. It wasn’t hard to drive a boat but still there were a few things to take note of. Once again you were amazed at how quickly Lisa could learn things and wanting to show her off you told her to drive by the dock where Jennie and Jisoo sat waiting.
Lisa screamed loudly, “Unnies! Look at me! I’m driving!”
Once making sure that Lisa was in control and that everything was okay you stepped back and enjoyed the ride. From the current view, Jennie and Jisoo were both shocked that Lisa was driving the boat and cheered her on as the boat swiftly passed them. They of course, both had their cameras out and were taking pictures. After a while you gave Rosé a turn to drive, she was hesitant at first but only grabbed onto the wheel after Lisa had encouraged her to try.
Over the last few weeks of being in their company for almost 12 hours at a time, you noticed they did bicker a lot, but even more so did they encourage and support each other. Their small actions here and there proved just how strong their sibling-like bond was. Wanting to show off Rosé’s skills too, you told her to drive by the dock just like Lisa did. And just like a few minutes before, Jennie and Jisoo cheered her on too. Following the drive by, Rosé handed you the wheel and you stopped in the middle of the lake to enjoy the scenery.
It was picture perfect outside. The water today, unlike most days, was calm and it looked like a large mirror reflecting the sun and the trees that surrounded the lake. You turned off the engine to let the sound of the water lapping against the sides of the boat take over, and looking over you saw Rosé and Lisa basking in the sun.
“Give me your camera I want to take a photo of you guys,” you said.
Lisa walked over to you and gave you her camera. Once she settled next to Rosé, they returned to how they looked before you had asked them. With their heads laid back you took the shot and brought the camera back, sitting yourself in between them.
“You sure do have an eye for things Y/N. Now let’s take a photo of all three of us!” Rosé said while extending her arm to take a photo of the three of you. You found yourself still smiling even after she took the photo, everything was perfect in this moment. The only thing missing was Jennie and Jisoo.
Hesitantly, as if she didn’t want to say it in front of Jennie, Rosé said “Y/N, lately it’s been a joke among the group to tease Jennie-unnie about you. She won’t admit it to us, but she really likes it when you flirt with her. Could you do it more often so we can prove her wrong?”
Lisa chimed in too, “yes please do it more. It’s funny to see her so shy for once.”
You laughed, and in disbelief but also curiosity you asked, “What!? I was doing it for my amusement, but if it makes her admit it, I’ll try my best. How will I know when we’ve won?”
As if they both knew something you didn’t, they both said, “oh you’ll know.”
[11:34 AM EST]
“Jisoo you LIAR! I thought you said you’ve never played this game before!” You yelled while getting up to inch closer to the TV. If your mom were here, she surely would have told you that you were too close to the TV for her liking and to move back. For the last day and a half, you and Jisoo were battling it out over Mario Kart. One game turned into two, and then three, and after that you lost count. Every time the other person won; it was always ‘one more! That wasn’t fair!’
The rest of the girls sat around on the couch and laughed at the arguments that followed each race; each of them cheering you guys on with a chant. Rosé in particular expressed her gratitude toward you for playing video games with Jisoo, as she couldn’t keep up with her at times when Jisoo begged her to play. Although you rarely won against Jisoo, you continued playing just to spend time with her. Her intensity as she played was funny, and you were grateful that you two could do something together that you both liked.
Finding something to do or bond with each member was important to you, so even if it meant suffering the abuse and losing, you played with Jisoo nonetheless. After losing the fourth game in the row, you passed off the controller to Lisa and she got up to take your spot. Jisoo turned around and did a victory lap around the table in the living room and nonchalantly brushed her shoulder. Switching places with Lisa meant that you sat in between Rosé and Jennie. In an effort to keep them occupied while Lisa and Jisoo played, you told them to follow you.
Leading them to the living room downstairs you opened cupboards filled with a collection of records. Some of them were older than you and others new. Rosé and Jennie looked at each other and gasped.
“I was wondering why there was a record player in the living room but no records in sight!” Rosé exclaimed.
Opening up more cupboards on the other side, both of their jaws hung open and you laughed. “They’re all yours. Feel free to play whatever you like.”
The both of them looked like they were in a wonderland, pulling out records and hugging them as if they were people. When they were done choosing the ones that they liked, you all went back upstairs to play them. Jennie and Rosé raced to the record player to see who would play their record first. They both arrived at the same time and after a game of rock paper scissors, Jennie had won and put her record on the platter. They alternated between albums after that and it continued on like this until it was time to prepare for dinner.
Before getting ready, the girls wanted to help you prepare for dinner. Smoked salmon, pasta and a Greek salad was what you planned to make for your dinner party. Rosé of course was in charge of the salad, Lisa and Jisoo worked on the pasta and you and Jennie started preparing the salmon for the smoker.
After taking the salmon out of the fridge you brought it over to the counter where Jennie was currently standing. She was in front of the drawer that had the cutting board you needed, so innocently you gently put your hand on her thigh to get her to move. “Excuse me Jennie.”
The unexpected and sudden touch caused her to jump up and right away the other members looked at her. From where she was standing, Rosé could see everything that just happened. Quickly her eyes darted from Jennie to you, and she smiled suggestively at you as if to tell you to keep going. As you stood up with the cutting board in your hands, Jennie looked up at you with a questioning look in her eyes.
While preparing the salmon you found yourself brushing up against Jennie. Whether it was by accident or intentional, she stopped as it got to her every time. They were only small touches here and there, but it didn’t matter to Jennie because now she had taken it upon herself to flirt back. You went from feeling confident to instant regret soon after because when Jennie caught on, it was game over for you.
With the salmon prepared and on the cutting board in your hands, you headed out for the smoker. However, the door was locked and with your hands full you asked Jennie to open it. She had to undo two latches that were placed on the top and bottom of the door. She undid the first one and while steadying herself with her hand running down your body, she bent down to undo the bottom latch. It was seemingly innocent, but the face she made along with the eyes that never left yours while she did it said otherwise. What did I get myself into? you thought.
After the salmon was in the smoker, you walked over to the part of the deck where Jennie was. She was leaning forward against the glass railing and was admiring the view of the lake. When she noticed you getting closer, she shifted her gaze in your direction and smiled.
“What are you looking at?”
In return she flashed you a quick wink and said, “just something I like.” As soon as the flirty words left her mouth, she looked directly down at her feet. Jennie could flirt from afar but once you got too close, she melted in your hands. At least that’s what you thought.
As you inched closer you hoped she would stop you before getting too close, but she didn’t. Instead it was you who stopped. In order for you to look her in the eyes, you craned your neck so that you could see her eyes even though she was looking down at the ground. “Oh yeah? What’s that?” you asked in the same flirtatious tone.
Quickly and in one fluid motion, Jennie brought her head up and turned to meet your gaze. The rest of your body wouldn’t move, so your only reaction was to blink. All the confidence you had seemed to vanish, and how she could flip the situation on its head so quickly caught you off guard. Her face was so close to yours that you could hear her breathing pick up, you could see the intricate details of her lips and you could feel her breath on yours. Kiss her! Your brain screamed.
You weren’t sure if you were hallucinating as it wasn’t audible, but you were pretty sure when you read Jennie’s lips, she said “do it.”
Still looking at her lips and out of breath you asked, “do what?”
As if you were too slow, Jennie pulled back and chuckled. Which finally gave you some space to let out a much needed deep breath. When you regained some of your senses you said, “you're right. Dessert before dinner isn’t the best idea.” And with that you spun on your heel making your way back inside the house; happily leaving her shocked. There was no way that you could let Jennie have the last laugh.
When you got in the house and your eyes adjusted to now being indoors, you saw that Lisa, Rosé and Jisoo were already staring. Lisa held out her hand as if she were waiting to be handed something, while Rosé and Jisoo both swatted her hand away and you knew right away what they were up to.
“Another bet?” you asked in amusement.
Both Rosé and Jisoo huffed and returned back to preparing the food. You walked over to join a now alone Lisa who was smiling to herself. “What was the bet and what did you win this time?” you asked.
She was still preoccupied with the pasta in front of her, but she laughed and said, “that you wouldn’t kiss her. Oh, and two back massages once tour starts.”
You rubbed your chest where your heart was as if to express that you were feeling pain. “Wow. You don’t think I have the guts to do it huh?”
“Oh I know you will kiss her eventually… but not in front of the members and I.” Lisa teased. Picking up one of the pieces of pasta, you threw it at her and walked away wanting to check on how Jisoo and Rosé were doing with the salad.
[6:45 PM EST]
The girls were still getting ready when the doorbell rang so you went to answer it. Before answering it, you checked yourself in the mirror one last time. After cooking, you and the girls split up and went to your respective rooms to get ready. You wore a simple white silk cami top with some high waisted blue jeans and by then it was too late to fix your hair, so you let it flow naturally. When everything was all good, you opened the door. Right away you smiled when you saw Skar and went in for a hug. Just when you were about to pull away, you opened your eyes and saw a familiar face. Instantly your heart dropped … Irene?
In the background you could hear Skar shout, “Surprise!”
Chapter Eleven - HERE
53 notes
·
View notes
Text
Let me earn your trust (Kamilah Sayeed & MC)
Previous chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Book: Bloodbound (property of Pixelberry Studios)
Pairing: Kamilah Sayeed & MC: Amy (I do not own those characters, they're the property of Pixelberry Studios as well)
Warnings: fluff/ a little smut
Rating: Mature
Author's note: I'm not a native English speaker, I'm sorry for any mistakes (feel free to correct me).
I'm super excited to share this chapter with you. It took me a while to post it, I know... I am not sure if I’ll be able to post another one tomorrow, but if not, be prepared for it on Thursday.
Enjoy the slow burn!😘
~ 2000 words
---------------------
Chapter 10
Kamilah wasn't surprised when she didn't meet Amy in the morning. She prepared herself that the girl would oversleep.
It actually made her feel relieved. Even though she agreed on taking Amy with her to work, the unsureness didn't let her sleep last night. Kamilah was avoiding Amy for the past two weeks, and now they were supposed to spend the whole day together.
That's why she didn't even bother with waking up the human. Kamilah made it clear about how she would feel toward lateness. Moreover, she had no time for such thing as waking up some mortal. Getting this thought out of her head, she grabbed the keys and purse before stepping into the elevator.
When she got out, the view she found in the garage made her stop for a moment.
Cause there she was: Amy with a pretty smile on her face. She was standing next to the red cabriolet with a closed, black roof. If it wasn't enough to surprise, she had prepared a cup of coffee for Kamilah.
The woman took the coffee with suspicion and told Amy to take a seat. Then, she sat in the driver's seat without another word.
Amy couldn't stop a grin on her face. Kamilah undoubtedly sensed her enthusiasm but ignored it successfully. She left her purse on the back seat, acting like this morning was no different than the others.
"I impressed you, didn't I?" finally Amy asked, she couldn't hold back the pride in her voice.
"It takes a lot more to impress me," Kamilah drove them out of the garage, not caring to look at the girl.
"But, you were surprised to see me awake?" Amy bit her lower lip in anticipation of the response.
You truly disarm me, Kamilah thought. But she would never say that aloud. Instead, she answered mysteriously.
"You could say that," Kamilah let her win, holding back a smile.
Amy was satisfied. She looked out the window as they drove past the city in sweet silence.
***
They headed directly to Kamilah's office. Amy was astonished by how much respect workers showed to their CEO. Everyone greeted her happily. Even if Kamilah's responses were much more stoic, it was clear that she respected her employees equally much.
One thing was known for sure, Kamilah Sayeed couldn't have gone completely ignored.
When they walked on the right floor, the young woman greeted them with the most precious smile. It seemed weird that someone this cheerful was working as Kamilah's personal assistant.
"Welcome, Ms. Sayeed. And..." she looked in shock at the person who accompanied the woman.
It was a rare look to see someone different than Adrian as a quest in Kamilah's office. She usually had meetings in the conference room, even those private ones.
"I'm Amy," the girl shook her hand, excited by finally having a chance to see someone.
"It's nice to meet you," the assistant would be much more interested in the relationship between both women than Amy's name. "Would you like something to drink?"
"Um..." Amy was rethinking the question when Kamilah interrupted.
"She would not," the woman unlocked doors from her office and opened them wide, gesturing Amy to walk in. "Shall we?"
Amy gulped ashamed but stepped inside as she was told.
She looked around carefully, taking the surroundings in. It was similar to Kamilah's penthouse, decorated in the same style. Modern, with huge, dark windows, like the ones in Kamilah's car. Here as well, she saw artifacts hanging on the walls as the decoration.
Kamilah left her purse on the table while Amy was looking over the place. The woman wrote something down on the piece of paper. Her voice echoed, interrupting Amy's thoughts.
"I have a job for you," Kamilah said, giving her the note. "I want you to go to the library in this building and find these books. Then, I want you to read them."
"You want me to read?" Amy was shocked and quite disappointed.
"It's a valuable gift, being able to read," Kamilah teased.
Amy fought the urge to roll her eyes, knowing that Kamilah was watching her reactions. She didn't want to give her the pleasure of seeing Amy unsatisfied with the task. Kamilah wouldn't pass the opportunity to say something about how much Amy insisted on coming with her to work.
"As you wish," Amy said with a smile since she came up with an excellent idea.
Kamilah was sure that thanks to her plan, she would finally work in silence.
She couldn't be more wrong.
***
Kamilah was sitting behind her desk.
She was checking statistics about her company. That was usually the first thing that she was doing after she got to work. In this business, everything could change overnight.
Her thoughts traveled to the girl that she brought to her work. She made Amy go to the library, which was on the first floor of Ahmanet Financial. Did she do this on purpose? To get rid of the girl, and to have a chance to focus...
Kamilah looked again on the screen of her laptop, trying to concentrate on the charts. At that moment, she heard steps growing louder outside.
To her great astonishment, the doors opened. And Amy appeared in her office with three old books in her hands.
"I thought you would stay in the library," Kamilah said, taking off her glasses.
"I thought the same, but there were so many people down there, I couldn't concentrate," Amy said, putting books aside. "Wait, no, there was absolutely no one there,'' she said, sarcastically, ''and it was so quiet, so I decided to read here."
"That's how libraries work, they should be quiet," Kamilah felt amused by Amy's sentence. "How did you manage to get these out of there?"
Amy looked at the books as she sat down on the couch near the coffee table.
"I thought that it would be difficult," she smiled at this memory, "so I mentioned you." Amy stared into Kamilah's eyes, "people react differently after hearing your name."
Kamilah smiled, quite dazzled.
"I need to upset you," the woman said, dismissing her thoughts, "it would be quiet here too."
"It's okay," Amy was already lost in the book, making herself comfortable on the couch.
Kamilah looked at her for one more second before getting back to her work. She felt warmth spreading in her chest against her own will. But, what fascinated her most was that she finally felt ready to concentrate since Amy was near her.
She made her read books about the history of vampires and Bloodkeepers. Technically, every title that she wrote on the paper included the word: Bloodkeeper.
At first, Amy read in silence. But after some time, she couldn't help it but ask Kamilah about discussed topics in the books. In the beginning, the woman seemed to be annoyed with Amy interrupting her. Soon after, Kamilah found herself enjoying the company.
Sometimes they strayed off the subject and chatted about Kamilah's past. It didn't refer to anything personal, it seemed more like a history lesson to Amy. And one thing was clear, Amy was taking this moment to get to know this woman as much as she would let her at that moment.
***
Amy was silent for half an hour now. She must have found an intriguing subject.
Kamilah, not used to the girl being quiet, raised her gaze from paperwork to look at her. She saw Amy being focused on the book. Her wavy blonde hair fell on her light skin. She had the habit of touching her lower lip with her thumb while she was focusing. Kamilah felt lost in this view.
Amy finished reading. She was looking ahead with the same look on her face. She stopped playing with her lips for a moment.
"What is on your mind?" this time, Kamilah was the one who asked.
Amy looked at her as she got her out of her thoughts. Eyes full of desire.
"Um..." Amy shook her head with a sigh before continuing, "Did you know, that someday, I might be able to have control over vampires? Like a mind-controlling.''
"I do, indeed," Kamilah put her glasses aside, feeling that Amy would not let go quickly this time. "Moreover, I presume that you already did that."
Amy looked at her without understanding.
"I did?" she was confused.
"At Priya's party," Kamilah was quite shocked that Amy didn't think of that.
"Oh..." Amy didn't feel proud of it. "Then, it happened by mistake. What I am talking about now is being able to control the vampires consciously."
"Would you like that?" Kamilah smirked, teasing her.
Amy didn't answer the question. Instead, she put the book aside and stood up, making her way to Kamilah's desk. She stopped on the opposite side of it. It made Kamilah lean back on her chair with a question in her eyes.
Amy put her hands on the table and let her upper body move forward ever so slightly. Creating an illusion between acting submissive and dominant.
"Kamilah," she said with a husky voice while keeping intensive visual contact with the woman. "Can you say," Amy quickly rethought her sentence before continuing, with a shy smile, "that us, living together, is what you wanted for a long time?"
Kamilah stood up slowly as she was under someone's influence. She put her hands in the same way right next to Amy's. And slowly leaned into her, faces close to each other.
"Amy, us, living together. It's..." seductive whisper, sending hope over Amy's body, "not working." Kamilah finished with a mischevious smirk.
Amy laughed at first at her naiveness, looking down at the table.
When she lifted her gaze to meet Kamilah's eyes again, the tension between them was already perceptible in the air.
Kamilah dropped her gaze for a second, looking at Amy's lips. She took in her features before finally staring back into her beautiful, light, green eyes. It made Amy swallow hard, which seemed to compliment Kamilah, making her smirk with satisfaction.
Amy felt Kamilah's fingers gently stroking her palm, working it's way up her arm. She gave into this hardly noticeable touch. It made her close her eyes and bit lower lip, feeling Kamilah's gaze as she examined Amy's reactions. The heat raised inside Amy's body. Shit, Amy cursed in thoughts angry at herself for reacting this way at one stroke of Kamilah's hand. She wasn't even sure if it was from the touch or just the fact that she looked at her with such desire in her eyes.
Kamilah gently tucked hair that fell on Amy's face behind the girl's ear. Amy leaned into her touch from the moment she felt the warmness of Kamilah's hand against her cheek. Then, she opened her eyes, seeing Kamilah's face just an inch from her.
The woman saw for a split of seconds how Amy's eyes returned green from its golden color. She found it very flattering.
Kamilah's hand moved from the cheek to Amy's neck while she leaned more, closing the distance between them.
It felt like forever when Kamilah's lips got closer to Amy's, making her heartbeat increase. Forever before, she could smell the woman's perfume. Feel the warmth of her body even without directly touching it.
Forever before, the phone rang.
Amy stepped back automatically. Partly scared by a loud sound, but mostly overwhelmed with emotions.
Kamilah answered the phone, still looking at Amy. After she heard the first words, she turned her back and listened carefully.
Maybe, if Amy tried to focus on voice talking through the phone, she would hear the conversation. But clearly, focusing was not the easiest under those circumstances.
Finally, Kamilah hung up and turned around to Amy. The girl could already tell by the look on her face that something was not right.
"What was that about?" Amy asked.
"I had to move the date of the Council meeting about Lily," Kamilah was deadly serious.
"Wasn't it supposed to happen next week?" Amy remembered that they were supposed to have plenty of time to convince the Council members on voting in favor of Lily's case.
"It was," Kamilah sat down in her chair, Amy never saw her so devastated.
"Kamilah," Amy could feel her stomach getting tight. "When is this supposed to happen?"
The woman looked into her eyes.
And Amy knew that she would not like the answer before she could even hear it.
"Tomorrow."
Next chapter: 11
---------------------
tag list: @onyxgaytrash, @lightning-fury, @scarlet-letter-a0114, @caliseds
#kamilah sayeed#kamilah x mc#kamilah#bloodbound kamilah#bloodbound mc#bloodkeeper#vampires#bloodbound#choices bloodbound#choices bb#choices stories you play#choices fanfiction#choices fic
75 notes
·
View notes
Text
The Flowers that Grow in the Alleyway ♔ Hwang Hyunjin
Genre: friends to lovers au (i guess), slice of life, angst, fluff
Pairing: hyunjin x reader
Word Count: 7.1k
Warnings: swearing/cursing
Synopsis: It is said that the alleyway isn’t a good place to find people, but this time is different. When a troubled boy named Hyunjin crosses paths with you, things start to look bright. However, as time passes, feelings start to emerge. Could this lead to a chaotic disaster or perhaps a magnificent beauty?
The sound of typing on a keyboard for hours upon hours was starting to give you a headache. You looked out your apartment window to see that the sky was turning a light crimson color, as the sun’s rays came through, softly lighting your room with a red/pink hue. Your eyes started to hurt from staring at a screen for hours, so you decided it was time for a break. You closed the laptop quietly and laid it down at the foot of your bed. The unusual stillness of the city was almost jarring to you. Most of the time the city is bustling and busy, but today felt rare. The calm and still atmosphere almost made you forget that life for you sucks at the moment. All of it seemed to consist of deadlines, taxes, jobs, money, and things that completely weigh you down. You glanced around at your bare room, remembering that you have little to nothing due to shortage of money. The phone beside you made a loud buzz, snapping you out of the trance. You saw that it was a message from your mother.
Mother: It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you. I hope you’re doing okay. Studying must be very stressful for you but remember that getting a job that makes money is important.
You took a long and deep sigh, as you stared at your phone. Your mother wasn’t helping your situation of feeling burdened, even if she was trying to help.
You: Yes, mother. I understand. I meant to call you before, but things aren’t going the way I want to right now. Studying has been really stressful and-
You paused and started to hold down the delete key. You didn’t want to show her that you couldn’t make it. Even when you were younger, people have always told you that you were a strong person. So, in return, it made you independent… and isolated.
You: Yes, mother. I understand.
The sound of a message sent rang clear in your room. You set down your phone on your puffy bedsheets as you rested your head against the headboard. Eyes closed as you basked in the quietness of your room, feeling the slight heat radiating from outside.
Although not much time has passed when you heard a loud thud sound, followed by someone’s loud cursing of an array of colorful language, “Fuck! Shit! Damn!” all in that order.
Your heart jumped from the sudden noise, as you were almost too scared to peer out your window to see who it was. You waited patiently, hoping that the person would continue to walk on. However, that wasn’t the case. It seemed like it was never the case for you. The loud noises continued as the person kept getting frustrated. What the hell is going on? You slowly got up out of your bed, curiosity slowly peaking interest. You at least wanted to know if they were okay. The crack of your window being pulled up caused the other person to suddenly stop the commotion. You stepped out onto the fire escape and peered off down to the alley; hands placed on the railing, looking at the guy from down below.
“Um, excuse me? Are you okay?” you asked the person from below.
You were only on the second floor of the apartment complex, so you can easily see who was making the commotion. It was a guy who seemed to be frustrated beyond belief, but as he looked up, he was startled. You noticed that his jet-black hair was awry, probably due to getting all upset. His eyes were dark like black coffee, although you could see in his eyes that he was hurting. Lips plump, almost to a pout, but turned down like he was about to cry. To you, he looked like a sad cat. The soft crimson rays turned to a light pink hue and saturated every object that it could touch, giving the boy a dim pink glow around his edges. You can only blink as you saw this hurt guy from down below, waiting for his response.
“Fuck off! What do you want?!” he yelled up to you, obviously distressed that you witnessed him almost lose it.
You slightly jumped due to his response, but you knew how to handle people like this, “Well I’m sorry that I just wanted to see if you were okay.” You said with a slight hint of sass in response, however not wanting to be too harsh to a guy who looked so miserable.
The guy still had an angry demeaner plastered on his face, “The fuck you say! You don’t even know me!” he said through gritted teeth.
You nodded in response, taking in what he said, “That’s true. But I know a hurting person when I see one. I can’t just let someone be so unhappy, even if I don’t know them.” You paused and tried to give him a reassuring smile, “I guess that’s just who I am.”
“I don’t give a damn who you are. Mind your own business!” he spat, clearly still angry, and not wanting you to know anything about his life.
You gave a slight sigh, this fucking guy, “If you didn’t want to talk to me, you could’ve just walked away already.” you smirked slightly, knowing damn well you’re right.
He narrowed his eyes to you, “Don’t fucking talk to me like you know better.” He stated, but you could hear his small voice crack at the end of the sentence.
Your expression softened as you took a small breath, “You’re right. I don’t know a damn thing.” Swinging yourself up onto the railing of the platform, “But there’s no need to be perfect, we’re all just human.” You stated with a calm tone.
The boy frowned, “What the hell do you mean?! You know nothing! Stop trying to think you fucking know anything about me! You’re so frustrating!” his voice becoming raspier and drier with each word.
You tilted your head slightly, “The fact that you think I’m frustrated says more about you than me, don’t you think?” You asked slowly.
The boy then fell apart right then and there. His small whimpers echoed in the alleyway. He crumpled like paper onto the ground as he leaned against the wall, his cries getting louder. His legs pulled tightly against his chest as his hands ran through his hair. You could tell he was trying his hardest to hold back, but to no prevail. You slowly got off the railing and walked down the stairs to comfort the boy, not knowing how he’ll react. Your feet made a loud thud as you stepped on the ground, making him try to hide himself as much as possible. You looked at the crying boy in front of you and sat on the ground next to him. His cries became softer as you just sat beside him quietly. You tucked your legs to your chest and rested your chin on your knees, looking straight ahead. The sun slowly dipped down below the city buildings, the sky still stained with the light pink color.
Breaking the silent crying, you said gently, “Life fucking sucks, don’t you think?”
The boy raised his head as he turned to look at you, his face tear stained and eyes red, “Yeah, it really does.” He shakily replied.
You gave him a small comforting smile, “What’s your name?”
He gave a slight sniff and wiped his eyes with his sleeve, “My name is Hyunjin.”
“Nice to meet you, dumpster cat.” You teased, trying to make him laugh.
Hyunjin cracked a smile, “Nice to meet you too, kitten.” he laughed.
Ever since that day, Hyunjin walked down the alleyway to see you. You never really knew why since there was really no other reason to come this way. However, he soon became a friend of yours, something that you haven’t had in a while. It’s been a few months since the first day you met Hyunjin, and between those months there was laughter, crying, and everything else in between. Each day with Hyunjin made every day more tolerable and each day you spent with Hyunjin, he felt wanted.
➵
You were sitting in your chair at your desk, staring at your laptop with a dead expression. Studying has become more difficult for you, partly due to stress and mostly due to Hyunjin. You spent most of your time with him because he seemed to always be around with you. Not that you’re complaining or anything, he just makes studying harder for you. He became someone who was important to you, nevertheless. So very important. Though, if you were completely honest, you started having feelings for him. It would never work out, you told yourself constantly, so you pushed down those feelings. Snapping out of your daze, you closed your laptop and leaned your head back, so you were looking at the ceiling. The lights of the city beamed brightly against the void of the night sky. Surprisingly you can still see the city lights through your closed blinds. You stood up and turned on your fairy lights, trying to get a night vibe as you started to play your favorite slow songs through your small speaker. Suddenly, your phone started to buzz, and you picked it up to see who it was. To no surprise, it was the devil himself. You answered the call as you put it up to your ear, the song still playing in the background.
“Hey. What’s up?” you asked, genuinely confused why he called you.
“Nothing much. I was wondering if um…” he paused, he seemed nervous to you, “if you would like to hang out with me tonight? Just to take a walk around the city.” He finished, saying the last few words rather quickly.
You paced a little as you thought about it, “Are you asking me on a date then?” you teasingly asked, almost hoping Hyunjin would say yes, “Cause it sure sounds like it.”
A long pause was received until Hyunjin finally spoke, “Do you want it to be a date?” his voice sounding sheepish to you.
A smile pulled at your lips, “I guess so~” you replied with a slight hint of sass, you could almost feel the joy radiating on the other side of the phone.
“Okay, it’s a date then. I’ll meet you in the alley in 10 minutes,” he spoke quickly, “kitten.” He added and hung up before you had a chance to react.
Suddenly your face became hot. Nicknames weren’t this much of a deal to you, since you also have a nickname for him. Though, this time it felt different. All the other times it was just for fun and jokes, but this time it felt real. You quickly turned off your music as you prepared for Hyunjin to arrive. There wasn’t too much to do since you were already dressed nicely, so you decided to put on a little makeup for the time being. 10 minutes have passed as you sat on your bed, checking your phone occasionally. Unexpectedly you heard a stone being thrown at your window. It made you jump at first, but then your nerves calmed down when you realized it must be Hyunjin. This was one of several way of letting you know that it was him. This little brat could’ve texted me instead. He’s such an idiot. You thought as you quickly put on shoes and opened your window. Still not realizing that you came out, he kept throwing stones at the window. One hit you right on the arm as you closed your window.
“Damnit, Hyunjin. I’m right here! You can stop now!” you yelled down to him.
Hyunjin audibly dropped all the stones in hand, “Oh, sorry. Just wanted to make sure you were awake.” He paused for a moment, “I could’ve texted you that I was here, but there’s no fun in that.” He laughed.
You rolled your eyes as you came to the ground level, “My god, you are such a child sometimes, Jinnie.” You playfully added his nickname at the end.
“Like you’re one to talk.” He rolled his eyes dramatically, “You’re just as much of a child than me!” he argued.
You could only smile at him, “Fine, whatever you say. Let’s go while the night is still young.” you took his hand and pulled him as you stepped out into the city lights.
You walked around the city for what seemed like hours, doing random activities when you two spotted something to do. It seemed like everything was a dream, so blissfully perfect. Utterly, stupidly, chaotically perfect. You made it to a bridge where the trees hovered over like clouds, the city lights in this part of the area were less luminated, the running stream below cooed softly, and the scarcity of people around was almost alarming. This felt uncannily perfect. Hyunjin stood right beside you as you simply stared off into the city. You let out a sigh as the wind blew the air out of you, getting lost in the feeling of complete calmness. You felt a nudge from your side as it broke you back to reality, looking at Hyunjin, you almost forgot how to speak. The low lighting made his features blend nicely, hair almost to the point of messy, and lips so irresistible it should be a crime. You had to admit, Hyunjin was so beautiful, it was an absolute mystery why he kept coming around and hanging out with someone like you. Though, everything about Hyunjin is a complete mystery.
“Are you okay? You were just staring at me while I was talking to you.” He laughed, noticing you almost creepily stare at him.
Your heart began to beat faster, “I’m fine! I’m sorry, its just that um…” you were at a loss of words, your mind quickly trying to find an excuse.
“C’mon, I know what’s up.” He lightly pushed your shoulder, “I’m just too handsome that everyone seems to be distracted by me.” He gave a signature smile as he combed his hair back with his fingers.
A laugh erupted from you, “Absolutely not.” You shook your head, “I mean, I’m not going to tell you how to view yourself, but handsome isn’t part of it.”
Hyunjin pouted, “Why’re you so rude to me? What have I done to deserve this hate?” he whined.
You chuckled, he’s such a child, “It’s not that I’m rude to you, it’s just how I show my affection, Jinnie.”
“Oh, I see now. You do care about me then~” he said with a playful tone.
You rolled your eyes and glanced down at the ground with a smile, “Idiot. I do care about you. Maybe just in a peculiar way, I suppose.” You looked back out into the city to take in the view.
You could feel Hyunjin stare at you as he kept quiet. You always wondered what was going on in his head, because sometimes it was really questionable. You didn’t dare look back at him because you were too embarrassed to face him again.
He finally spoke, “Are you okay?” he asked, genuinely concerned, “I can tell something has been bothering you for the past few days. If there is anything, please tell me.” He begged in a pleading manner as he took your hand in his on the rail.
Your heart began to sink as you tried to come up with a way to tell him, but nothing came to mind, “Honestly,” you coughed out, retreating your hand from his, “I don’t even know myself. Things have been so hard for me recently that I’ve been so worn down by trying to do good.” You fessed up, giving him almost a hauntingly calm, sad expression.
You could tell the look on his face that he was hurt by the expression on your face and the words that were said, “You know I’m always here for you. Even if we haven’t known each other for that long,” he paused, thinking carefully about his next words, “I feel like, a connection between you and me. Like, we understand each other.”
You nodded slowly, “Yeah, I feel the same way too. Thank you, though. I know that you’ll always be with me.” You looked back out into the city, “If we’re being honest here, I don’t think I’ve ever asked you what your situation was back in the alleyway, the first day I met you. Why were you there?” you asked hesitantly as you turned towards him.
“Well,” he started, “There has been some family issues recently, and I found out some things that I… don’t even like to think about right now.” He said slowly, glancing around as he spoke, never directly looking you in the eyes, “I stormed out of the house, not really knowing where I was going. Somehow, I ended up in your alleyway, and that’s where I was at my breaking point.” He paused and looked at you directly, “Though, it wasn’t all bad… because that’s where I found you.” Hyunjin ended as he gave you a ghost of a smile.
Your brain couldn’t come up with any words to tell him. You were glad that he told you his problems, but did he also just tell you that he was happy to find you? Your heart almost gave out when you heard him say those words. The night air breeze went through your body as you just stood there, looking at this beautifully problematic person, as you just wanted to tell him everything you felt about him, but physically unable to tell him. The trees answered with rustling against the river’s comments. Hyunjin stared at you, looking like he was about to tear up, anticipating for a response from you.
“Hyunjin, I’m sorry about what’s happening.” You finally spoke against the wind, “I just want you to know that I’ll never leave you, never. Not now, not ever.” You gave him your best smile in the moment.
You could tell that gave Hyunjin a sense of relief as he relaxed a bit, though still having an aura of sadness against him. The silence between you and Hyunjin was almost frightening, however, there was a sense of relaxed serenity. You could’ve stayed in the moment forever if you could. Through all the chaos of banter, you suddenly felt a wave of tiredness. Feeling the effects of sleepiness was apparent to Hyunjin as he chuckled under his breath as you yawned and rubbed your eyes.
“What?” you asked drowsily, “I’m just tired.” You stated as you looked at Hyunjin with sleepy eyes.
“Do you think you can make it home?” Hyunjin asked as he took you by the arm.
You nodded in response, trying to walk back, but tiredness caught up to you too quickly, “Jinnie. I don’t think I can walk anymore. My legs are dying out on me.” You complained as you dragged your feet.
Hyunjin only laughed at the state you were in, which was different from what he was used to, “Here, I’ll carry you then. I’ll give you a piggyback ride~” he offered as he bent down a little, offering to carry you.
You gave out a little giggle, “I told you. You’re definitely the child here.”
“Do you want a ride or not? Cause I’ll just leave you here.” He jokingly replied with a wide smile.
You pouted, “No, don’t leave me. I wanna ride.” As you jumped up on his back.
You felt weightless as your feet lifted off the ground, it felt like you were floating. You held onto Hyunjin’s shoulders as he started to walk back to your apartment. Though, slowly getting tired, you rested your arms loosely around his neck and eyes feeling heavy like rain clouds, you leaned forward against Hyunjin’s back. The lights of the city between your dazed eyes looked like little yellow fuzzy circles, a light laugh emerged from your lips.
Hyunjin turned his head slightly to the side, “What’s so funny back there?”
“Just the lights. That’s all.” you mumbled as you started to close your eyes.
You only heard an audible sigh, but you felt a smile form on Hyunjin’s lips as he continued to walk on. Eyes starting to close, you soon dozed off into a light sleep.
You felt a slight jerk to your side as you woke up from the light nap. You looked around to see that you’re back in the alleyway, safe and sound.
“Thank you for taking me all the way back here. You must be tired.” You looked at him while getting off his back.
Hyunjin bent his back as he stretched, “No problem. Anything for you, kitten.” He replied with a smile.
You let out an airy laugh, still tired, “Well, I had a really great time with you, Jinnie.” You weakly smiled back, “I suppose this is where our adventure ends, huh?”
Hyunjin nodded solemnly, “I suppose so…” he glanced at you, then down the alley, “I guess I should be heading on then. I’ll text you when I’m safe.”
“Please do.” you said as you ascended the stairs to your window, every so often glancing down to Hyunjin walking down the alley.
For some reason, seeing him leave made you anxious. Maybe it was because its late, or maybe because you worry about his safety, or maybe just because you don’t want him to leave. Hyunjin looked back to give you a wave and a smile as he started to get out of range. It was late, people were sleeping, but that didn’t matter to you.
You peered over the railing as you yelled his name, “Hyunjin! Come back here!” You soon saw Hyunjin run back down the alley as you walked down the stairs as fast as you could.
Hyunjin arrived at the bottom of the stairs, taking a breath, as you were on the middle of the staircase, looking down at him. He looked at you concerned and confused.
“What’s wrong? Is everything okay?!” he started walking up the staircase right up to the step below you.
You could only feel your heart against your ribcage, your heartbeat pumping loud in your ear, “Just stay in my apartment. You have a far walk back, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” You stated as you looked at him.
Hyunjin gave you a questionable look, “You want me to stay in your apartment, with you?” he said slowly, seeing if he understood your request correctly.
“Yeah,” you said softly, “I just…” your mind was drawing a blank as you looked at him.
Hyunjin smiled, “Thanks. I’ll stay for the night, I suppose.”
You reciprocated a smile as you turned and walked back up the stairs. You could hear Hyunjin walking closely behind until you got to your window. You slid up the window as it made a loud creaking noise, your curtains swaying from the light breeze from outside. You slipped in as you quickly glanced around your room to see if there was anything embarrassing that needed to be put away before Hyunjin had a chance to make fun of you. Thank god that everything was put away, though. You exhaled happily as you heard your window being closed and shut. You turned around to see Hyunjin glancing around your room, the pale soft fairy lights of your room gave him a dark shadow with a small halo outline. Damn, why does he have to be so attractive.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been in your room.” Hyunjin said as he was walking around your room, looking at everything.
You sat on your bed, “Yeah, because I didn’t have a reason for you to come in my room.” You replied as you watched him look around.
Hyunjin smirked at you as he stood across from you, “Yeah? Maybe you should have some reasons for me to come in then.” he grabbed you chair and sat down on it.
You knew exactly what he meant, but that wasn’t going to get under your skin, “Fuck you, Jinnie.” You laughed as you threw a pillow at him, “Don’t even think about it.” You rolled your eyes at him.
Hyunjin caught the pillow as he hugged it, “I know, I know.” He laughed along, “Just wanted to tease you, kitten~”
“Stop calling me that.” You gave him a look, almost sounding annoyed.
“What… Kitten? Why? It’s adorable.” He gave you a big smile as he started to become a flirt.
You sighed, “It’s not adorable.” you said, adjusting yourself on your bed, “Besides, don’t you have other friends to joke around with?”
He became silent for a moment, thinking, “I do. But they’re not as fun to be around as you. I just really enjoy being around with you.” He confessed, almost shyly.
Thank god that it was dark in your room, otherwise he would’ve seen the massive blush on your face. This was the only few times that he was almost shy to tell you things, but that made you happy to see him open up.
“I really enjoy being around you too.” You replied with a bashful smile, “You really mean a lot to me, Hyunjin.” You admitted while looking away.
“You mean a lot to me, too.” He smiled as he rubbed the back of his neck.
You had an idea as you took out your phone as you turned on your favorite slow song. The music started playing through your small speaker as you got off your bed and stood in the middle of your room. You looked to Hyunjin, making a proposal.
“Wanna dance with me?” you asked as the song continued to play.
He stood up and slowly walked toward you, “Of course.”
Hyunjin took you by the waist as he hugged his arms around them, pressing you close to him. You wrapped your arms around his neck, falling onto him. You leaned your head into his chest, hearing his steady heartbeat play along with the music, it made you calm down from the craziness of life as you held onto him. Rocking back and forth slowly, you embraced the moment you had with Hyunjin. The calmness of the music, holding Hyunjin in your arms, the stillness of the outside world, all of it seemed to be magnificently perfect. The song soon ended with its final strike of a note, though you still held onto him a little longer, not wanting to let go. A yawn escaped your lips as you felt tired, eyes feeling dense.
Hyunjin let go as he looked at you, “You sound tired. We should probably get to bed, kitten.” He suggested as he led you back to your bed.
You were too tired to object him as you finally felt the softness of your bed, “I told you not to call me that.” You tiredly complained to him as you crawled under the sheets.
“Well, that’s too bad. Cause you don’t have a say on what I can call you.” He joked as he fixed the sheets on you, helping you get comfortable.
You could only respond with a grunt as your brain started to go into auto pilot. Your sheets slowly warming your body as you felt yourself disconnect with reality. You heard the faint noises of your chair being moved closer to you, and soon you felt a soft hand being placed on yours. You then felt lips being pressed delicately against your forehead. The bed sinking slightly near the edge, you could only assume that Hyunjin was staying with you in your room. The world went dead quiet as you slowly drifted out to the sea of void.
➵
You opened your eyes to see complete whiteness surrounding you. You looked around to see if anyone is around you, but there was no one. Suddenly, a thick smoke came out of nowhere as it engulfed you into an abyss of emptiness. Your heart began racing as you looked around frantically, yelling out into the nothingness, hoping that someone could hear you.
“Someone! Please help me!” your voice became sore and dead.
“Anyone! Save me, please!” still, no response.
Your eyes became watery as you were starting to lose hope. Looking around once more, you saw something in the far distance. You started to run as fast as your legs could carry you, wanting out of this nightmare. The smoke wasn’t helping your vision as you ran faster with every step, almost falling over from running so fast. The figure soon started to look like a person as you ran closer to them. You soon realize who the person was. It was Hyunjin. Relief washed over you like a river as you approached him, out of breath.
“Hyunjin! I thought I was all alone.” You said as you looked at him with a smile.
You then noticed that it was Hyunjin, but it wasn’t really Hyunjin. Your smile soon faded as you saw a ghost of someone you knew. He looked grey and cold as you examined him. He was looking at the ground, not even noticing you were there. You roughly grabbed him by the shoulders and started to shake him.
“What’s wrong with you?! Tell me!” you screamed at him, seeing that he was not okay.
No response.
“Hyunjin! Please tell me something! Anything!” you continued, your voice giving out.
He slowly looked up from the ground. His eyes were dead, his body was hollow, his hair was unkept, his skin was pale, he didn’t seem like a person.
“It’s all over, y/n. I’m leaving you. You mean nothing to me anymore. I’m done.” He spoke meaninglessly and flat with no emotion in his voice, “Goodbye.”
You felt your heart sink to hear those words from him. Even if it wasn’t really Hyunjin. Those words. Those dreadful words that hurt you so badly to hear from anyone. You felt all alone. You were all alone. You felt him slip from your grasp as he walked away. You could only watch in pain as he vanished from sight. Your legs bolted to the ground; you couldn’t move anymore. You didn’t want to move anymore. You fell to the ground in agony as you screamed in pain, your throat raw, tears running down your face, completely and utterly turned into nothing. This was the end for you as the smoke covered you in fear. It was over. It was all over.
➵
You sat up in a heartbeat as you let out a scream. Dripping in a cold sweat, you frantically look around to see that you’re in your bedroom. Hyunjin’s head rose quickly to look at you with concern.
“Hey, hey! Its okay. Its okay. You’re okay!” he started to tell you, “I’m right here. Don’t worry.” He said in a calm manner, trying to get you to do the same.
You felt tears at the brink of falling as you looked at Hyunjin, remembering the nightmare. Tears started painting down your face as you felt getting flashbacks of what happened. Hyunjin quickly embraced you as he got on the bed and let you cry into him. He gently petted your head as you let it all out.
“I – I had a nightmare… and-” you tried to explain to Hyunjin what happened, but you simply couldn’t, your words caught in your throat.
He simply shook his head, “You don’t have to tell me. Just calm down. I’m right here.” he whispered.
You calmed down some as you stayed silent in Hyunjin’s arms. Not knowing if you could ever tell him what happened. The city was alive and awake outside as your room stayed completely motionless. The silent tears falling reverberated against the walls as the fairy lights were a soft pale light. You breathed out quietly as you held onto Hyunjin, not ever wanting to let go of him.
➵
The cool breeze of night air whispered through the city. The dark void of the sky looked mesmerizing against the lit-up city. The stars above mimicking the lights down below, though faintly. Only a shade or two lighter portions of the sky was the last remnant where the sun went down over the horizon. You sat on the ledge of the apartment rooftop, legs dangling down as the view of the city was passing you by. These nights were your favorite because you got to disconnect from the bustling of life. These nights were becoming rare for you because you always had other things to do. These nights, you basked in the emotions you felt. You closed your eyes, listening to everything around you. The cars on the road, the people walking along the sidewalks, music playing in bars, the smell of food rising from the vents of restaurants, city life was never boring. You felt your phone vibrate in your pocket; you took it out as you saw the name on your screen. It was Hyunjin. You answered the phone, curious.
“Hey. What’s going on?” you asked, looking around down at the city.
“Oh, nothing much. I’m around the area and was wondering if you want to hang out again.” he sounded like he was in the streets because you heard talking in the background.
You paused, looking around, “Sure. I’m on the roof of my apartment, so meet me there. The door should be opened, so just come in.”
Hyunjin let out a laugh, “The roof? That seems dangerous for someone like you.” He teased.
“Shut up, Jinnie. It’s perfectly okay.” You reassured him, “Unless you’re too much of a baby to come up here.” You challenged.
Hyunjin scoffed, “I am not a baby!” he said defensively, “I’ll be over soon, kitten.” He hung up.
You put your phone back in your pocket and waited for his arrival. You tried to tune into the quietness above the city, but to no prevail. The city was too loud for you to find the peacefulness you were searching for. The sound of footsteps approaching caused you to snap out of focus and quickly turn around to see that it was only Hyunjin. You loosened up a bit as he sat next to you, swinging his legs down beside yours. The silence between you and Hyunjin grew with each minute that passed.
“Hey.” He finally spoke.
“Hey.” You replied back, “So, what’s been going on with you today? I thought I heard some voices in the background when you called.” You asked as you looked at him.
He gave out a light chuckle, “Oh, I was with my friends. We were all about to head back home, but I wanted to see you after we all left.” He explained, “They all were just loud and obnoxious if you ask me. They keep asking about you every time I call you.”
You raised an eyebrow at him, “You talk about me around them?” you asked, “You better be saying good things about me!” you laughed as you lightly pushed him.
“Of course, I do.” he laughed, “They actually want to meet you sometime. I only said yes if you were okay with it.” He gave you a hopeful smile.
You thought about it, then smiled happily, “I’d love to meet them. I bet they’re as fun as you to be around.”
Hyunjin rolled his eyes, “I guess fun could be a word to describe them.”
You and Hyunjin let out a loud laugh together. Being around each other never use to be this strange, however, this night felt different. As the laughter died, you could only just look at him. The smile fading as you looked back out into the city.
“Do you remember the day I had a nightmare?” you said suddenly, almost hauntingly as you remembered the events.
He gave you a small nod, “Yeah. Why?” he asked, placing a hand on yours.
“You were in my nightmare, and you told me that you didn’t want me anymore. That you were leaving me.” Your heart began to run out of your chest, “That I meant nothing to you. And you left saying goodbye.” Your eyes starting to tear up, remembering the scene vividly.
You felt his head lean on your shoulder, “Y/n, I would never leave you. You know that, right? I would never say those things to you.” He spoke tenderly, trying to comfort you, his hand holding onto yours tightly.
You could only nod, “Yeah. I know.” You whispered, “But it still hurt to hear it, especially from you.”
“I know, but I want you to trust me that I would never say that to you. You mean way too much for me to say those things to you.” He spoke quietly as he continued to hold your hand.
“What do I mean to you, then?” you asked, looking down at his puffy black hair.
Hyunjin stayed silent, “You mean so much to me that words can’t truly tell you, kitten.” He confessed, “You mean everything to me.”
Your eyes widened as you held onto his hands. His words echoing in your head, giving you butterflies in your stomach. You never thought that Hyunjin would say those cheesy things to you, but alas, here you are.
“Thank you, Hyunjin. Really.” You smiled as you watched the cars pass by, completely ignorant to what is happening from above.
A silent wave washed over you are you and Hyunjin watched the city moving along. You saw life passing you by, but it didn’t matter because you had Hyunjin beside you.
“Jinnie. Have you ever thought about the future? What it’ll hold in store. How things will change.” You asked, a memory flowing back to when you had late night talks with a friend long ago.
“Yeah, I have. Things are crazy nowadays.” He said, lifting his head from your shoulder.
You chuckled lightly, “Crazy is an understatement. Life just seems to be passing me by lately. Like, I have no control over any of it anymore.” You explained all the things running through your head, “Sometimes I feel like I’m just floating down the river of life, just going through the motions. Some days I think I’m just missing out on things because I’ve been caught up with so much anymore.”
“If you think that your life is passing you by, if you think that you’re missing out on things, I think you should just take a breath.” He spoke slowly, “I’ve been feeling it too recently. But I think if you feel like its all just passing you by, lets just do things. Do the things that scare us. Do the things that make life a little more pleasant.” He looked at you with a reassuring smile, “Besides, we’re in this together.”
You smiled and laughed, “I guess so. Thanks for the advice.” You looked him in the eyes, “How is your family issue going?”
“It’s still a problem right now. But in all honesty,” he looked out to the city, “I think its tolerable since I have you right beside me.”
Your heart fluttered by those words as you smiled dumbly. He was such a flirt; it was almost stupid. You followed his gaze as you exhaled softly. Moments like these, you never want to let go. It was these moments that you cherished deeply. These were the moments that meant a lifetime to you. Though, there was something pulling at your heart to do.
“Hey, Jinnie.” You asked as you faced him.
He looked to you, “Yeah?”
Your heart started to hurt, throat dry, words losing meaning, “I think I like you.” You confessed, heart beating so fast you thought you’d die, “Even if I haven’t known you for too long, I don’t think I could find anyone like you.”
He simply stared at you, but then the unimaginable happened. You soon felt soft lips pressed against yours, it was sweet like honey but meaningful. You closed your eyes, reciprocating the feelings, words started becoming meaningless, the world slowly melting away. You pulled away, breathing lightly, looking at him with surprise.
“I think I like you too, y/n.” he spoke with a smile.
You laughed as you pushed him, “You could’ve told me that before you kissed me! You’re such a brat!” you yelled at him.
Hyunjin only laughed, “Just be thankful that I like you. Otherwise I could’ve pushed you off right now!” he joked, looking down to the ground.
“I would take you down with me then!” you pouted.
He then smiled as he hugged you, “Yeah, sure. Okay.” He rolled his eyes.
You grabbed his arm around you, “You’re awful, Jinnie.” you whined.
He only gave a wide smile at you before he kissed your cheek. You blushed madly as you could only try to let him go of you.
“Get off of me, Jinnie!” you complained.
He shook his head, “No. Not until you apologize to me!”
You sighed, “I’m sorry that you’re such a child compared to me!” you laughed as you insulted him.
“I am not a child!” he hugged you tighter, “You’re the one who is a child!”
You could only smile, “You’re so cute, Jinnie.” You soon felt him let go of you as you quickly gave him a peck on the cheek.
Hyunjin took your hand in his and laced his fingers with yours as you looked out into the city. The world oblivious of what happened on the rooftop. Though, it didn’t matter to you. This is what life’s moments were to be filled with. Even if the world was to forget about you and Hyunjin, this moment was all that mattered. You smiled as you thought back to the memories you had with this boy. This handsome, problematic boy. It has been a while since you’ve felt this way about anyone, but you were happy it was him. You leaned your head onto his shoulder, locking your stare into the world below you. As you peered up into the sky, you saw the stars. They dimly twinkled as you saw them shine through the pollution of the life below. You melted into Hyunjin as you simply stayed in the moment. Everything was perfect. Through all the chaos of life, this was the moment you loved the most.
“When the sun rises, will you still be here with me?”
“Forever, my kitten.”
A/N:
“The world is an insanely chaotic masterful beauty to behold. One day everything will be gone, the universe will carry on without us. The future will someday reminisce in our past, and hopefully smile thinking of us. Though, memories are who we are… and who’s to say we can’t try and live a better day.”
Ahhhh! This is my first fanfic I’ve seriously written, and, in all honesty, it was really fun to write! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it~
Lots of love ���
#stray kids#stray kids imagines#hwang hyunjin#hwang hyunjin fanfic#hwang hyunjin x reader#hwang hyunjin imagines#hwang hyunjin moodboards#Hwang hyunjin oneshots#stray kids fanfic#stray kids imagine#bang chan#bang chan imagine#kim woojin#kim woojin imagines#Lee Minho#lee minho imagines#seo changbin#seo changbin imagines#han jisung#han jisung imagines#lee felix#lee felix imagines#kim seungmin#kim seungmin imagines#yang jeongin#yang jeongin imagines#kpop#kpop imagine#kpop fanfic#kpop oneshots
173 notes
·
View notes
Text
three Methods To Convert WMA To MP3 On Windows
Wma to MP3,MP2,WMA , WAV, OGG, APE, AAC(used by iTunes),FLAC(lossless compression),MP4,M4A, MPC(MusePack),AC3,TTA,ofr(OptimFROG),SPX(Speex),Ra(Real audio), and WavePack. I consider most video and audio fans know that RealPlayer can play a number of movies and audios, together with MP3, WMA, RM, MP4, WMV, MOV, AVI, and so forth and in addition can obtain videos from video websites, like YouTube, Metacafe, Dailymotion, converting wma to mp3 linux Vimeo, IMDb, and many others. but one other import operate RealPlayer features many people are not conscious of is that RealPlayer can convert some non-broadly used video or audio codecs to more extensively used video or audio codecs to watch or edit movies or audio on many several types of devices, media players or other packages. If you convert videos or audios with RealPlayer, the extra proposed output formats are flash, mp4, mov, wmv, mp3. Right here comes a question that's what if individuals need to convert to more video or audio codecs, like changing to 3GP, ASF, WAV, FLAC, and many others.? The following article will simply offers the solution to the above query.
To transform songs presently in your iTunes library, open the software program and find the Preferences menu from the iTunes dropdown on a Mac or Edit dropdown on a Home windows computer. Subsequent, click the Basic tab, then discover the Import Settings within the lower part of the Preferences window. After that, click on the dropdown subsequent to Import Using, choose the format and click OKAY to save lots of that import format as the default setting. iTunes permits for batch changing, so the final step is to pick all of the recordsdata you wish to convert, click the File menu, http://www.audio-transcoder.com/how-to-convert-wma-files-to-mp3 then choose Convert and click on Create MP3 Model. In the event you selected a special output format, it shows that format relatively than MP3.
JERRY: I'm a type of outdated-faculty audiophiles that used to have the Discwasher and the costly turntables and $300 cartridges. And when CDs first happened in the mid-'80s, among the early digital recordings, even the digital recordings that have been reproduced on LP - Pablo and Fantasy each did that with jazz teams - sounded type of trebly. And I suppose it's the aural equal of wanting on the dots or pixels of a not very positive photograph. Moreover, we are accustomed to higher frequencies at a lower level; take a look at the "inexperienced stuff"—it is within the -60dB to -70dB range, that's, solely 10dB to 15dB louder than the overtones (again, an element of two to 3 instances as quiet or as loud). Will we hear the green stuff? The yellow stuff? The cyan stuff? I do not know.
Earlier than weighing vinyl's, ahem, good and bad sides, wma2mp3 it helps to know how data are made. In brief, an engineer comparable to Gonsalves receives mixed recordings from the studio (or perhaps a band's laptop computer) to grasp and reduce to a lacquer, which is mailed off to be impressed upon the units of metal stampers which will press lots of or thousands of PVC pellets into vinyl LPs. Not every mastering engineering cuts lacquers — lathes have not been made in decades and are in short supply, which keeps owners like Gonsalves busy — and Gonsalves is often despatched digital files to work from reasonably than the all-analog tape one might expect.
For what it's price, I took to Twitter with a couple of movies evaluating the best way the two speakers sound, and polled my followers as to which they most popular in each case. The brand new Dot was the clear favourite, incomes about 80 p.c of the votes in every test. Depend me amongst that majority - if I had to pick one to listen to my favourite playlist on, it'd be the new Dot. Then again, for those who blindfolded me and asked me to tell you which speaker I was listening to, I am unsure that I'd be capable to inform. The two are fairly close.
Tidal's Hello-Fi offering permits the service to stream crystal-clear audio to customers' headphones or audio system that surpass the usual high quality provided by competing companies. With simplified execution, onlineconvertfree is a free online WMA to MP3 converter. The software has got some fascinating features such as the support of quite a few file formats and a wonderful conversion pace. It's got a few advertisements, however the web site's design is interesting and simply understandable. The modus operandi for on-line converter WMA to MP3 is a one-click on process.
A1: Windows Media Audio ( WMA ) is an audio information compression know-how developed by Microsoft. The name can be utilized to check with its audio file format or its audio codecs. This software targets people who get pleasure from their music in high quality wma format but also want it into a highly portable format like mp3. The first and possibly most essential purpose that records sound different from MP3s and CDs is that in the digital realm, the artist can create just about any sound that they want and it is going to be faithfully reproduced within the digital world. Records, and particularly the machines used to make the master recordings (chopping lathe) shouldn't have the luxurious of unlimited dynamic vary and frequency response.
Helps: WMA, MP3, OGG, WAV PCM, FLAC, APE (Monkey's Audio) and Audio CD conversion. One of the most common strategies carried out to transform WMA to MP3 is cloud convert. This freemium software can quickly convert between 100 different file codecs. This includes WMA and MP3. Nonetheless, there are some limitations such as the file measurement should not exceed 1GB and users are restricted to carry out solely 25 conversions per day. After conversion, the general audio high quality will likely be nice. Right here is how to use this free WMA to MP3 converter.Some analysis signifies that the ear is extra sensitive to those relative EQ adjustments than to the quantity change itself. In consequence, music or other acquainted audio sources that sound correctly equalized at one degree might sound just a little "off" at a distinct quantity. When the extent of a live performance sound mix changes by 10 dB, it may sound as if an invisible hand is reaching over to the P.A.'s system EQ and altering the curve by a couple of dB in lots of places. In order to acquire a factor, one thing of equal value must be lost. So whereas we now have managed to obtain the ability of packaging hundreds and 1000's of songs into our miniature music players, we now have needed to sacrifice a minimum of some quantity of audio quality, owing to the compression methods which are used to attain the dimensions discount of those audio recordsdata.WMA is a common audio format in Windows which enjoys the equal reputation with MP3 information. Even though you possibly can switch WMA to iPhone, iPhone can't play WMA files in the Music app. That's as a result of WMA is just not compatible with iOS units and Mac for some right protection. So you possibly can play your WMA on iPhone with 3rd-get together apps or convert them to MP3 while transferring to iPhone. MQA processing , developed by Meridian, particularly addresses time smear and should allow lower sample rates to sound nearly as good as the upper charges used for as we speak's high-resolution recordings. The opinions are optimistic, and I stay up for evaluating MQA playback from recordings which were MQA-encoded and ones that haven't.
1 note
·
View note
Text
Creative Pebble V3: Stylish Yet Powerful Minimalistic Speakers
Creative Pebble V3
9.00 / 10
Read Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
See on amazon
Creative's Pebble V3 gives you reliable, clear audio at an incredible value. If you're looking for an affordable upgrade, it fits well with most set-ups.
Key Features
Built-in Gain Switch
2.25" Full-Range Speaker Drivers
Clear Dialog Audio Processing
Specifications
Brand: Creative
Connectivity: USB-C, 3.5mm AUX in, Bluetooth 5.0 (but still needs USB-C for power)
Size: 4.8 x 4.7 x 4.6 inches (each)
Power: 8W RMS 16W peak
Driver Size: 2.25 inch full-range
Cable Length: 4ft power cable, 4.4ft between speakers
Pros
Stylish Minimalistic Design
Bluetooth 5.0
Great Price
Amplified Audio Delivery
Cons
Rare Distortion
Power Requirements (older devices may be underpowered)
Buy This Product
Creative Pebble V3 amazon
Shop
<![CDATA[ // Bottom var galleryThumbs1 = new Swiper('.gallery-thumbs-1', { spaceBetween: 10, slidesPerView: 10, freeMode: true, watchSlidesVisibility: true, watchSlidesProgress: true, centerInsufficientSlides: true, allowTouchMove: false, preventClicks: false, breakpoints: { 1024: { slidesPerView: 6, } }, }); // Top var galleryTop1 = new Swiper('.gallery-top-1', { spaceBetween: 10, allowTouchMove: false, loop: true, preventClicks: false, breakpoints: { 1024: { allowTouchMove: true, } }, navigation: { nextEl: '.swiper-button-next', prevEl: '.swiper-button-prev', }, thumbs: { swiper: galleryThumbs1 } }); ]]>
Creative's Pebble V3 compliments any minimalist's dream set-up, without busting the budget. Take advantage of the sleek design, Bluetooth 5.0, and audio features to make listening as convenient as possible.
Thanks to Creative, we have one pair of Pebble V3 to give away as well. You'll find the entry widget at the end of the review.
youtube
Unboxing the Creative Pebble V3
As minimalistic desktop speakers, unboxing the Pebble V3 doesn't take long at all. Inside the box is the Pebble V3 speakers, a USB-C to USB-A converter, warranty, and a general set-up guide.
Noticeably, the USB-C to USB-A converter had a nice amount of grip on it. As such, it was easy to connect and begin setting up the Pebble V3 for its initial placement testing.
Taking Into Account the Pebble V3's Design
Creative's Pebble series places a lot of focus on aesthetics. Like other iterations of the Pebble, the V3 returns with its classic black and gold coloring. So if you're looking for neutral tones with a hint of color, this constant look remains a selling point.
Similarly, the Pebble series continues to provide compact speakers. Each speaker weighs under a pound, and each speaker only measures out at 4.8 x 4.7 x 4.6 inches. For those that despise excess cables, there are only two cables to contend with: the Right to Left Speaker Cable and USB-C Cable to Computer.
Each of the two cables possesses an adequate amount of length (4.4 ft for the right to left speaker cable and 4 ft for the USB-C to computer), so it's easy to let them hang loose or tie them up to fit the visuals of your respective desk. Thanks to their low weight, they were also easy to grab and reposition on the fly.
Features of the Pebble V3
The Pebble V3's defining features are the following:
Flexible Setup Options
Bluetooth 5.0 (Wireless Playback)
2.25" Full-Range Drivers (Louder Audio)
45° Elevated Drivers
Built-in Gain Switch
Clear Dialog Audio Processing
With the upgrade to the Pebble V3 from the V2, Creative kept its strongest elements (45° drivers and gain switch) while focusing on improving audio power, processing, and overall accessibility. To adequately discuss these areas, let's break down how each area fairs.
Connectivity Options and Powering the Pebble V3
In terms of how to connect the Pebble V3, there are three ways to achieve playback.
Just remember that each method needs to accurately power the Pebble V3. Otherwise, an underpowered Pebble can't deliver on its optimal audio settings. Whether USB-C, USB-A, the port must be capable of 10W (5V @ 2A) power output.
The typical playback method for the Pebble is via USB Audio, though it's not your only option. Whether you're using the USB-C or the USB-C to USB-A converter, you can power the device easily via your computer. Unless you're using a much older device, you shouldn't run into power issues here.
The second playback method utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless playback. With this method, you can power the device using USB while playing music off your phone or other Bluetooth enabled device.
For this route, I was also able to plug the Pebble V3 into a USB wall adapter, desktop equipped with 5V 2A USB, or portable power station. In each case, the Pebble V3 was adequately powered, and I was able to achieve its full output. The Pebble V3s weren't designed as truly portable speakers but can serve as such in a pinch.
The final connectively method utilizes audio output via AUX-in cable. If you want to connect the Pebble V3 to some MP3 or other audio players, you can utilize this method.
How Does It Feel to Use the Pebble V3?
The Pebble V3 will work seamlessly for you as long as you meet its power demands. Thanks to its combined minimalism and versatility, you can either literally plug and play or take the extra Bluetooth step.
When using Bluetooth 5.0, I never had any issues pairing the Pebble V3 with other devices. I tried different smartphones and laptops, and the recognition always occurred instantaneously. The right speaker's LED light also made it easy to judge a successful connection and adequate power.
Unlike a Windows computer, however, Mac users will have to take one extra step to complete the pairing. After powering the Pebble V3 via USB, go to System Preferences. Then select Sound and click Output to select the Pebble V3.
Once I got to use the volume control knob, it had a nice albeit standard measure of control. You can fine-tune with it, and it has decent durability with its matte finish.
The Pebble V3's Sound Quality
With the Pebble V3, Creative wanted to improve audio quality and power. Did they succeed? If you consider the size and price of their speakers, they did.
To test this, I focused on a few constants. First, I left the gain switch on High always. Secondly, I tried different sound meter apps to test the dB min, max, and average.
While watching normal movie conversations, I measured in the typical speaking dB ranges of 65 to around 70. If the music or sound got especially loud, it would pop up into the 80-95 dB range. While doing this, I didn't notice any crackling or distortion.
In the lower ranges, I tried to listen for clear dialog processing as well. In listening to different scenes utilizing the Pebble V3 versus the built-in computer, it did stand out slightly when comparing the two. But if I didn't know it was a feature, I probably wouldn't have recognized it.
As for the Pebble V3's limits, at especially loud levels (i.e. heavier rock music on Spotify), I could pick up a small amount of distortion. If you're intending to heavily push the limits of these speakers, you'll notice this more. However, in most of my daily use, it was a non-factor.
The 45° Elevated Drivers also played a smart role in a lot of testing. Whether I was lifting the speakers up to listen close to my ear or just generally arrange it on my desk, the positioning made it much easier to check for gains and losses.
Should You Buy Creative's Pebble V3?
Whether you buy the Creative Pebble V3 depends on what you're after in a speaker.
For passionate audiophiles looking for the best dB gains, you can do better and likely aren't the target for these tiny speakers. However, if you're after a stylish, non-intrusive speaker set for your desktop then you should seriously consider the Pebble V3.
For its low price tag, you get a powerful yet compact speaker set with Bluetooth 5.0 and built-in audio gains and processing. If you weigh these against the tiny demerits, the Pebble V3 still offers incredible value.
Creative Pebble V3: Stylish Yet Powerful Minimalistic Speakers posted first on grassroutespage.blogspot.com
0 notes
Text
Creative Pebble V3: Stylish Yet Powerful Minimalistic Speakers
Creative Pebble V3
9.00 / 10
Read Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
Read More Reviews
See on amazon
Creative's Pebble V3 gives you reliable, clear audio at an incredible value. If you're looking for an affordable upgrade, it fits well with most set-ups.
Key Features
Built-in Gain Switch
2.25" Full-Range Speaker Drivers
Clear Dialog Audio Processing
Specifications
Brand: Creative
Connectivity: USB-C, 3.5mm AUX in, Bluetooth 5.0 (but still needs USB-C for power)
Size: 4.8 x 4.7 x 4.6 inches (each)
Power: 8W RMS 16W peak
Driver Size: 2.25 inch full-range
Cable Length: 4ft power cable, 4.4ft between speakers
Pros
Stylish Minimalistic Design
Bluetooth 5.0
Great Price
Amplified Audio Delivery
Cons
Rare Distortion
Power Requirements (older devices may be underpowered)
Buy This Product
Creative Pebble V3 amazon
Shop
// Bottom var galleryThumbs1 = new Swiper('.gallery-thumbs-1', { spaceBetween: 10, slidesPerView: 10, freeMode: true, watchSlidesVisibility: true, watchSlidesProgress: true, centerInsufficientSlides: true, allowTouchMove: false, preventClicks: false, breakpoints: { 1024: { slidesPerView: 6, } }, }); // Top var galleryTop1 = new Swiper('.gallery-top-1', { spaceBetween: 10, allowTouchMove: false, loop: true, preventClicks: false, breakpoints: { 1024: { allowTouchMove: true, } }, navigation: { nextEl: '.swiper-button-next', prevEl: '.swiper-button-prev', }, thumbs: { swiper: galleryThumbs1 } });
Creative's Pebble V3 compliments any minimalist's dream set-up, without busting the budget. Take advantage of the sleek design, Bluetooth 5.0, and audio features to make listening as convenient as possible.
Thanks to Creative, we have one pair of Pebble V3 to give away as well. You'll find the entry widget at the end of the review.
youtube
Unboxing the Creative Pebble V3
As minimalistic desktop speakers, unboxing the Pebble V3 doesn't take long at all. Inside the box is the Pebble V3 speakers, a USB-C to USB-A converter, warranty, and a general set-up guide.
Noticeably, the USB-C to USB-A converter had a nice amount of grip on it. As such, it was easy to connect and begin setting up the Pebble V3 for its initial placement testing.
Taking Into Account the Pebble V3's Design
Creative's Pebble series places a lot of focus on aesthetics. Like other iterations of the Pebble, the V3 returns with its classic black and gold coloring. So if you're looking for neutral tones with a hint of color, this constant look remains a selling point.
Similarly, the Pebble series continues to provide compact speakers. Each speaker weighs under a pound, and each speaker only measures out at 4.8 x 4.7 x 4.6 inches. For those that despise excess cables, there are only two cables to contend with: the Right to Left Speaker Cable and USB-C Cable to Computer.
Each of the two cables possesses an adequate amount of length (4.4 ft for the right to left speaker cable and 4 ft for the USB-C to computer), so it's easy to let them hang loose or tie them up to fit the visuals of your respective desk. Thanks to their low weight, they were also easy to grab and reposition on the fly.
Features of the Pebble V3
The Pebble V3's defining features are the following:
Flexible Setup Options
Bluetooth 5.0 (Wireless Playback)
2.25" Full-Range Drivers (Louder Audio)
45° Elevated Drivers
Built-in Gain Switch
Clear Dialog Audio Processing
With the upgrade to the Pebble V3 from the V2, Creative kept its strongest elements (45° drivers and gain switch) while focusing on improving audio power, processing, and overall accessibility. To adequately discuss these areas, let's break down how each area fairs.
Connectivity Options and Powering the Pebble V3
In terms of how to connect the Pebble V3, there are three ways to achieve playback.
Just remember that each method needs to accurately power the Pebble V3. Otherwise, an underpowered Pebble can't deliver on its optimal audio settings. Whether USB-C, USB-A, the port must be capable of 10W (5V @ 2A) power output.
The typical playback method for the Pebble is via USB Audio, though it's not your only option. Whether you're using the USB-C or the USB-C to USB-A converter, you can power the device easily via your computer. Unless you're using a much older device, you shouldn't run into power issues here.
The second playback method utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless playback. With this method, you can power the device using USB while playing music off your phone or other Bluetooth enabled device.
For this route, I was also able to plug the Pebble V3 into a USB wall adapter, desktop equipped with 5V 2A USB, or portable power station. In each case, the Pebble V3 was adequately powered, and I was able to achieve its full output. The Pebble V3s weren't designed as truly portable speakers but can serve as such in a pinch.
The final connectively method utilizes audio output via AUX-in cable. If you want to connect the Pebble V3 to some MP3 or other audio players, you can utilize this method.
How Does It Feel to Use the Pebble V3?
The Pebble V3 will work seamlessly for you as long as you meet its power demands. Thanks to its combined minimalism and versatility, you can either literally plug and play or take the extra Bluetooth step.
When using Bluetooth 5.0, I never had any issues pairing the Pebble V3 with other devices. I tried different smartphones and laptops, and the recognition always occurred instantaneously. The right speaker's LED light also made it easy to judge a successful connection and adequate power.
Unlike a Windows computer, however, Mac users will have to take one extra step to complete the pairing. After powering the Pebble V3 via USB, go to System Preferences. Then select Sound and click Output to select the Pebble V3.
Once I got to use the volume control knob, it had a nice albeit standard measure of control. You can fine-tune with it, and it has decent durability with its matte finish.
The Pebble V3's Sound Quality
With the Pebble V3, Creative wanted to improve audio quality and power. Did they succeed? If you consider the size and price of their speakers, they did.
To test this, I focused on a few constants. First, I left the gain switch on High always. Secondly, I tried different sound meter apps to test the dB min, max, and average.
While watching normal movie conversations, I measured in the typical speaking dB ranges of 65 to around 70. If the music or sound got especially loud, it would pop up into the 80-95 dB range. While doing this, I didn't notice any crackling or distortion.
In the lower ranges, I tried to listen for clear dialog processing as well. In listening to different scenes utilizing the Pebble V3 versus the built-in computer, it did stand out slightly when comparing the two. But if I didn't know it was a feature, I probably wouldn't have recognized it.
As for the Pebble V3's limits, at especially loud levels (i.e. heavier rock music on Spotify), I could pick up a small amount of distortion. If you're intending to heavily push the limits of these speakers, you'll notice this more. However, in most of my daily use, it was a non-factor.
The 45° Elevated Drivers also played a smart role in a lot of testing. Whether I was lifting the speakers up to listen close to my ear or just generally arrange it on my desk, the positioning made it much easier to check for gains and losses.
Should You Buy Creative's Pebble V3?
Whether you buy the Creative Pebble V3 depends on what you're after in a speaker.
For passionate audiophiles looking for the best dB gains, you can do better and likely aren't the target for these tiny speakers. However, if you're after a stylish, non-intrusive speaker set for your desktop then you should seriously consider the Pebble V3.
For its low price tag, you get a powerful yet compact speaker set with Bluetooth 5.0 and built-in audio gains and processing. If you weigh these against the tiny demerits, the Pebble V3 still offers incredible value.
Creative Pebble V3: Stylish Yet Powerful Minimalistic Speakers published first on http://droneseco.tumblr.com/
0 notes
Text
Resource Management, pt24
Word Count: 1897
Tags: @supermoonpanda @rayleyanns @sistasarah-sallysaidso @feelmyroarrrr @anyakinamidala @dirajunara @little-study-bug @rampant-salamander @goodnightwife @samaxraph99 @anotherotter @outside-the-government @kingarthurscat @coyote-in-space @originalpottervengerlock @dolamrothianlady @curiositywillbethedeathofme @superheroesofbothuniverses @mtriestowrite @wanderingkat77
It was probably stupid to go home, not knowing if Garrett was going to want me back. I couldn’t see him needing me, but he was crazy enough to want to kill me, and it gave me pause. But I wanted clean clothes, and a shower, and something to eat. I wanted the comfort of my own home. I wanted to hold my passport in my hand, and know that if the world stayed completely upside down, I could escape home, into the forests of northern BC, and not worry about anyone coming after me. Of course, once again, I had no way into my apartment. Fortunately, once again, my super was a champ about letting me in. This time, however, he had more to say about my job.
“Did you even know, Annie? Sometimes the grunts don’t know,” he muttered.
“I had no idea, Bob.” It was true. I still didn’t have the details, but I’d known there was a HYDRA infiltration. But we’d never had the chance to figure out how deeply it went. Cecelia Banks was a genius.
“The grunts never know.” He patted me on the shoulder and pushed my door open.
“Thanks, Bob.”
“What are you going to do now?” He asked.
“Good question. I don’t know,” I admitted.
“You let me know if you need anything, sweetie. You’re a good tenant, and good people,” he rested his hand on my arm.
“Thanks, Bob.” I closed my door and went directly to the bathroom. I started running the tub, hot, and full of Epsom salts and bubbles, and poured myself a full tumbler of whiskey. I stripped down and dropped my clothes in the hamper before padding back to the tub, glass in hand. I slipped under the bubbles and sighed. I wasn’t able to let go of everything, but I released a fair amount of tension just letting the heat soak into me. I leaned my head against the tub surround and closed my eyes.
I must have nodded off. I heard a knock on my door, and realized my water had gone cold. I slipped out of the tub and into my bathrobe. I crept to the door as quietly as I could and peered out the peephole. There was no one there, at least, no one I could see. There was no way I was opening the door. I stepped away and went to get dressed.
I made myself a peanut butter sandwich and flopped down to turn on CNN. I wanted to know what all was going on. I kept the volume low, and heard a knock on my door again. This time I ignored it. I heard the door unlatch and open and dropped to the floor in front of my couch.
“Annie, it’s Bob. I have something for you,” he called. I crawled around the living room and came up behind my cracked open door. I peered through the peephole again to make sure he was alone. He was.
“Let me open the door, Bob.” I shut it and unlatched the chain to pull the door open. Bob stepped in, his grey work coat pulled closed. He pulled a gun and holster out and handed it to me.
“This is my service revolver, honey. I’ve been glued to the TV since that first flying ship came down. You need it more than I do.” He dug in his pockets and pulled out a couple of box of bullets.
“Bob, I can’t –“
“Way I see it, kiddo, you have to. You’re not the kind of girl to not be some kind of important. And if you aren’t with the terrorists, it means they’ll be looking for you. My money says you probably have some secrets tucked in your brain that someone would kill to keep quiet. Take the gun. You’re from the Midwest somewhere, right?” He interrupted.
“I’m from western Canada –“
“I’m pretty sure I have your mom’s address in St. Louis on your lease. I’ll forward anything important to you there,” he cut me off again with a wink. “You should really think about going home for a visit until this blows over.”
He shuffled back out the door and disappeared down the hallway. I felt sick. He’d worked for one of the agencies for years, and if he thought I should run, he was probably right. I went to start packing. I pulled out my backpack and carefully picked the stitching out of the big maple leaf badge. I only packed a couple of days worth of clothes, as I had lost my purse in the safe house somewhere, so had only the cash that was stuffed in the mason jar in the back of my baking cupboard to get me anywhere. And considering I’d already raided it once recently, there wasn’t much left. I changed into the same cargo pants and sweatshirt I’d worn the last time I’d be ‘on the run’, hoping for similar luck. It was a moment of weakness, but I really wanted Phil to sweep in and save the day. I wasn’t usually a Disney princess, but this time I really wanted to be rescued.
I grabbed a few things that I couldn’t live without, just in case I wouldn’t be coming back, and tucked them away in an inner pocket in my bag. I slipped my laptop into the padded back panel and zipped it closed. I took a final look around my apartment, mentally saying goodbye to my books. Everything else was replaceable, but the books would be a loss if I couldn’t return. I opened my desk to dig around for my passport, and couldn’t find it. I opened the next drawer and moved the papers in it around, but it wasn’t there either. I double checked the first drawer again and checked my night table. No passport. I knew it hadn’t been in my purse, I’d only used to it to replace the ID that had gone up in the first attack on the Triskelion, and clearly remembered putting it back in my desk. I pulled every single item out of both drawers, but my passport was gone. The small envelope that I kept my Canadian ID in was also missing. Someone was trying to trap me in the USA.
My heart started racing again. I had about forty bucks in cash and no identification. It was going to make a border crossing difficult. I could hear voices in the hall, and what sounded like the crackle of a radio. It stopped right outside my door. I slid everything back into my desk and peered out the peephole. A couple of guys carrying guns in black tactical gear were gesturing to one another. I backed away from the door and headed to the kitchen window. I looked out, but didn’t see anyone watching the window. Whoever they were, like Garrett, they were underestimating me. I slid my window open and hopped onto the fire escape. I climbed down to the alley and walked away from my building as calmly as I could. When I was sure I was clear, I sped up and didn’t look back until I was on the metro on the way toward the bus station.
It was dark in New York City when I got off the bus. I’d bought the ticket for the busiest place I could think of, where I had the best chance of blending into the crowd. It wasn’t until I was halfway there that I thought that I might be able to track down Tony Stark at the Avengers Tower.
I walked into the lobby of the building and approached the security desk.
“Can I help you?” The security guard was old, and his shoulders stooped forward a little. His silver hair was brushed straight back, and he had a big bushy mustache that reminded me of my granddad. I couldn’t help but smile at him.
“I need to see Mr. Stark.”
“It’s 10:30,” he put me off.
“If I know Tony, that means he should just be cranking the stereo in the lab,” I nodded. If he was here, I thought. The guard raised his eyebrows and looked down at the computer screen. He typed something in.
“He would have left a name if he was expecting anyone. There’s no list for tonight.” He shook his head.
“If you could just call up to him?” I implored.
“If you know Mr. Stark, like you say you do, you know he doesn’t like being bothered when he’s working,” the guard typed something else into the computer.
“I do know that,” I said, “but this is kind of an emergency.”
A tall redhead walked off the elevator towards us, talking on the phone.
“No, I’m telling you, this is a total mess. A building was literally destroyed by a helicarrier with one of our new proprietary engines in it, and I’m going to be doing damage control for days about why you have terrorists using your tech. So no, Tony, I am not coming back upstairs,” she sounded flustered, and the hair, coupled with the conversation, made me realize she was Pepper Potts. I wanted to reach out and grab her, but she looked over and saw me standing there and stopped.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Potts, I told her –“
“Who are you?” She interrupted the security guard. Tony was still on the other end of the phone, I could see the timer on the screen counting up airtime.
“Anna Ellis.” If I said it louder than I needed to, it was because I saw that the call was still live. Potts jerked her head away from the phone and glared at me.
“How do I know you’re Anna Ellis?” She demanded.
“Please, Ms. Potts. I don’t have any ID and I have three dollars and ninety-six cents left. I have nowhere else to go.” I wanted to sit down and cry.
“But how do I know you’re who you say you are?” She put the phone down on the counter between us and hit the speaker button. Tony didn’t say a word.
“Tony brought a bunch of art into my office a few weeks ago,” I started.
“Too easy.” They said it in unison.
“The Starry Night was fake, but the Sunflowers were real. The hideous art deco Iron Man print was the real focal point of the room though,” I continued. Potts shook her head, still not convinced.
“He added pages to my Thor scrapbook that wound up having some sort of computer chip embed in them that allowed him to hack the SHIELD servers and discover Agent Coulson was still alive,” I concluded. I had nothing else. Potts went pale.
“Phil Coulson?” She shrieked, “Tony, Phil is alive and you didn’t tell me?” If she’d been able to beat him through the phone, I think she would have. The elevator doors opened and Tony stepped out, then stepped back in. Potts spun around and stalked toward the mirrored doors, practically glowing red with rage.
“Pepper –“
“Oh no you –“
“Pepper, Annie needs me alive if I’m going to help her.” He cut her off and darted around her, pocketing the phone. I was so relieved on seeing him that I slumped down against the security desk and started to cry.
15 notes
·
View notes
Text
Game For Anything PT. 14
Word Count: 2,238
Warnings/Notes: Uh, this chapters a little slow. But give it a moment, k guys?
Tags: @crawegirl @nea90sweetie @littlegirlsdontplaynice @queen-of-moons-peace-out-bitches @gaysmutstiel @xolyssaaa @uruburock13 @lisa-horn @jencharlan @fangirl1802 @spn-4-eva @hey-um-misha
((if you want to be added to the list just let me know))
Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10 / Part 11 / Part 12 / Part 13
Dean gripped the steering wheel of his car with a loose hand. He practically let the car drive itself at times and had no qualms about it. Specially this time of the day. The roads were empty and that was just the way he liked it. Empty so he could do as he pleased on the road. So what if he swerved a little bit? His brother sat at his side, old but good classic rock music made its way through his speakers, and for a moment, things seemed normal.
He’d almost forgot about seeing you in Sam’s arms. Sam’s bare and naked arms holding you close to him. But something like that couldn’t be forgotten just like that, and Dean knew that. So, what did he do? Bury himself in this case. Not that it was a case, but it was easier to say that then to admit they were just running to find you because of the way you left.
Dean almost had himself convinced to not go after you thanks to Sam. Why should he? It wasn’t his fault you left in such a rush. It wasn’t his fault Sam was feeling guilty or that Sam felt the need to get you both in a room together so you could see just how much you needed one another.
Meanwhile Sam was practically sweating bullets as he sat there, all but chewing on his nails at this point. The air seemed thick to him, seemed as if all the tension in Dean’s shoulders were floating in the air towards him. As if to remind him that he fucked up. And he fucked up bad.
After a few phone calls, and by few there were about 30, they had found a hunter that knew of you. A lot had heard of you and met you, but not all of them could place you to a single place. Apparently, you got around, but in a good way.
Sam and Dean were shocked to find that you had an apartment in a little no name city in Ohio. “Well it makes sense I guess. It’s pretty remote and out there.” Dean commented when he found it on the map.
“More remote than here.” Sam agreed. Sam paused, eyes staring at the map with extreme focus. He wasn’t sure what to do right now.
“So, what do we do?” Dean asked, kicking back in his seat. He wasn’t sure what to do here. Now that they knew where you were going, and knew it was a ‘safe’ place for you Dean seemed less worried. You were just clearing your head, after all that happened he could respect that.
But he couldn’t deny that he didn’t want to rush to your aid. Not because you needed help, but because he wanted answers, wanted to know what the fuck was going on. Did you feel things for Sam? Did you feel things for him? Though, Dean didn’t want to know the answer. He couldn’t imagine what it would be and wanted to avoid it.
Sam sighed, his mind racing with the possibilities of what to do right now. “I mean she’s going home. She’ll be safe. Why don’t we go finish that case?” Sam was trying to defer his brother, trying to keep him from running to your aid. Because that’s all Sam wanted to do.
Dean took a long drink, “Yeah. I uh- cased the joint but never actually caught the thing. It’s just a demon. Should be nice and easy.” Dean was all for going back to work. It seemed like a nice distraction from the reality around him. Work meant he could focus on killing, trapping, and not on you.
And yet there he sat, with you racing around his mind. You with your smile, and that laugh. Something he could get used to seeing in this dark world around him. Except every time he thought too hard about you, he would remember seeing you with Sam. He remembered walking in on the two of you all comfortable with one another.
He was dying to know what had happened. Had anything? Was it just cuddling or had Sam laid on the moves? All questions he could never ask. Sam wasn’t usually one to kiss and tell, but this one instance Dean wanted to hear the details. Well, maybe not the fine details.
Sam shrugged, getting to his feet and stretching after his long time spent bending over his laptop. “Nice and easy sounds perfect right now.” Sam commented. “Give me a few minutes to pack.”
Dean sat alone, his fingers drumming against his laptop. He wasn’t ready to call it quits. Something in him told him to find you. Digging into a case wasn’t going to be enough to forget you. He knew that. Sam did too.
Sam, packing his bag as slowly as he could. Guilt setting in that he was willing to leave you behind and work on a case instead. He had mentally planned to sneak off and go find you himself. Leave Dean behind so that he could talk to you alone. But Dean was smart, and Dean would find him before he got too far. After all, he’d caught him before.
So here they were, on the road to a little shit town so they could fix things between you. Every fiber of Dean was telling him to stop. He’d never in his life chased down a girl before.
Sam sighed, reaching over to turn the music in the car louder. As if it would thin the air out a little bit. “Everything okay Sammy? You never turn up my music.” Dean glanced over to his brother.
Sam gulped, “Yeah I just, I like this song.” Sam lied, leaning back in his seat and cracked open his laptop. He wanted to talk about this. Wanted to fix the situation. But the last time he had brought it up Dean had all but kicked him out of the car. And now they were moving at 80mph.
“What are we going to do when we get there?” Sam asked, breaking the tension. His fingers rested above the keys, he had already typed in your city and state, setting out to search for clues about why on earth you would pick there of all places.
Dean leaned forward, turning down the music. “I don’t know Sam, you’re the romantic. What do you think we should do?” Dean asked, his voice thick with sarcasm.
“Don’t.” Sam resisted holding up a hand. “I’m just trying to figure out what the hell is going to happen when we show up at her door step. Provided she’s even there.” Sam wasn’t sure what to expect. He had barely gotten to know you at this point. But he knew you weren’t going to be happy to see them.
“Well, I’m assuming we’re both going to get a swift kick to the face. And then we’ll sit down and have a few drinks and talk about our feelings.” Dean’s voice was once again thick with sarcasm. Sam rolled his eyes and Dean knew this without even looking at him.
Sam didn’t know what to say. There was no getting through to Dean at this point. “You didn’t have to come ya know?” Sam said under his breath. He began to read more, scanning article after article that he could find that would be remotely interesting.
“And leave you to chase after her alone? Yeah right.” Dean fought the urge to pull over right then and there.
The thick tension was back, filling the air and making it harder to breathe for both brothers. “Wanna talk about things now?” Sam asked in the smallest voice he could.
Dean grunted, “Fine. Let’s get the touchy feelings out of the way.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “Dean.”
“No Sammy your right. Let’s get it all out in the open. Ask your questions.” Dean shifted in his seat, pretending to get more comfortable. “Come on, let’s do the whole therapy session thing. Oh wait, should I lay down and get all comfy in the back seat?” Dean pointed to the back seat, and even attempted to look back at it.
“Never mind Dean.” Sam looked out the window, drinking in the surroundings the best he could. Not like he hadn’t seen them already, but it was better than paying attention to Dean’s sarcastic ass. He returned his attention to the laptop in front of him, and when he clicked on his next link he wanted nothing more than to be engrossed in the article.
“Okay. Sorry, I’ll get real.” Dean cleared his throat. He waited, waited for Sam to ask his questions like he always did. But when Sam didn’t answer Dean cleared his throat and began for him instead. He faked Sam’s voice. “Dean do you like Y/N?” He asked himself.
“She’s different. And I’ll be damned if I didn’t want to… well you know.” Dean wagged his eyebrows at his brother.
“But Dean. There’s more to her than sex.” Dean said once more trying to imitate his brother’s voice.
Dean sighed, “Oh Sammy. The things you don’t know.” He shook his head in disapproval. Like any older brother who felt they had failed at their job of teaching their younger brother the ins and outs of sex and its importance.
“Dean come on be serious.” Sam finally spoke up, he tilted his head towards his brother, in that oh so condescending way of his.
“I am. Look at it this way. I have never met anyone like her before and it intrigues me. What about you? Huh big boy? You like her or what?” Dean pushed his elbow against his brother.
Sam didn’t know how to answer this. He wanted to be truthful with his brother and tell him that he did. But he knew better. Especially when it was more than evident that Dean had caught feelings for her as well. Plus, Sam knew Dean had been there first.
“That’s what I thought. So again, what are we going to do when we get there? Stick her in the middle of the room and call to her? See which one she goes to first?” Dean asked, his serious voice back.
Sam shook his head. He was growing more and more annoyed with Dean as this conversation went on. “I don’t know Dean. I just don’t think letting her leave in that state was okay.” Sam didn’t lie. It was bothering him that you packed up your things and left like that. The way you speed away, it all was bothering him.
“I don’t blame her. She was upset. I would be too if I woke up in your arms.” Dean tried to crack a joke, but even he was starting to hate himself.
“Dean.”
“Look. All I’m saying is that we don’t need to go to no shitsville Ohio and talk to her about this. She left, she worked her case with us and left. End of story. She even stayed a bit longer.” Dean slowed his car, the brakes forcing their bodies forward as he did. He wasn’t sure why he was slowing, but he felt he had to.
Sam looked over at his brother’s hardened face. A face he never could see through and understand. “And you’re okay leaving it like that?”
Dean didn’t answer. Mainly because he wasn’t okay with leaving anything the way it was. He was dying to know who you would pick, him or Sammy. But also, because he didn’t want to answer. He didn’t want to chase you down and ask you. Because why? Why trouble you if you wanted to leave so bad? If you still wanted to talk to Sam or Dean you could find him. They weren’t impossible to get ahold of. They knew practically everyone.
“Dean?” Sam asked after a long moment of silence. “I think I know why her home is here…”
Dean’s ears perked up at this. He waited for Sam to continue. “Well about 23 years ago, there was a fire. Killed everyone in the house but a small girl and her brother. The fire’s cause seems to be unknown by authorities, but sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. Except Azazel wasn’t trying to find more students 20 years ago.”
“That we know of. We don’t really know how long he was going around making his… creations…” Sam couldn’t mutter the word. It had been so long since someone had brought it up, but he had never really forgotten those days. Of demon blood and trials.
Dean didn’t know how to respond. Confused with all this information. It had been so long since he had heard about any of this, Azazel and demon blood. He tried to avoid it for Sam’s sake. Because every time it was brought Dean could see his brother squirm uncomfortably. “So, she’s a Demon baby like you?”
“Well she wasn’t a new born at that point. Says here she was about 5.” Sam continued reading.
“And her brother?” Dean asked, breaking his brothers silence.
“Older.” Sam said while he kept reading.
Dean leaned back, shoulders relaxing as he started to think about all of this. “So it doesn’t fit in to Azazel’s MO.”
“And then about 17 years ago there was a massive murder at a local business. A bloodbath. 20 casualties. And 1 missing person.” Sam inhaled sharply. “Randy.”
((Part 15))
#Supernatural Fanfiction#Supernatural Fan Fiction#Supernatural Fiction#Supernatural Imagine#Supernatural Prompt#Supernatural Writing#Supernatural Story#Spn Fanfiction#Spn Fan Fiction#Spn Imagine#Spn Prompt#Spn Writing#Spn Story#Sam Winchester Prompt#Sam Winchester Imagine#Sam Winchester Paring#Sam Winchester Fanfiction#Sam Winchester Fan Fiction#Sam Winchester Fan Fic#Sam Winchester Fiction#Sam Winchester Story#Sam Winchester#Sam Love Club#Sam Fan Fiction#Dean Winchester Imagine#Dean Winchester Prompt#Dean Winchester Fan Fiction#Dean Winchester Fiction#Dean Winchester FanFiction#Dean Love Club
29 notes
·
View notes
Text
Dell Inspiron 27 7790 Review: PC or TV?
New Post has been published on https://bestedevices.com/dell-inspiron-27-7790-review-pc-or-tv.html
Dell Inspiron 27 7790 Review: PC or TV?
"The Inspiron 27 7790 is a good choice for small apartments or dorms."
Smooth, modern design
Small bezels and thin chassis
Includes an HDMI input connector
The integrated sound bar gets loud
The volume cannot be adjusted in HDMI input mode
So-so performance
If you live in a dorm, studio apartment, or other small space, you may not have space for a full-size TV.
A solution? Buy a big computer monitor and pretend it's a television. This may help you, but the Dell Inspiron 27 7790 offers a more elegant solution.
It is an all-in-one PC with an HDMI input socket so that your Nintendo Switch or Roku streaming stick can be connected directly. This is console game and streaming right on your Windows 10 desktop. But the Inspiron 27 (from $ 849.99) also looks good with its built-in soundbar and TV-like stand. Can it be both PC and TV appropriate without sacrificing?
Small screen becomes big
The Inspiron has a slim silhouette, that's for sure. The 27-inch Infinity Edge display is framed by narrow, 8 mm white bezels on three sides and a slightly larger chin on the underside, which is anchored by a silver speaker bar. At $ 849 ($ 999 in the configuration we tested), you essentially get the equivalent of a 1080p monitor for $ 200 that neatly works with a space-saving PC in an all-in-one Design is packaged, in which the screen is raised to a predecessor installed tent stand made of bent metal tubes.
The result is that the Inspiron looks similar to the HP All-in-One 24's sculptural wire base for $ 499. In contrast to the aluminum stand of the iMac, the metal wire design doesn't feel that high-quality, but makes the Inspiron 27 less impressive on a desk.
The airy aesthetics of the Inspiron 27 stand are at the expense of ergonomics. The base allows you to recline the screen, but you can't tilt the control panel forward, rotate, or raise or lower the display. Without a VESA mount on the back, you cannot mount the Inspiron to free up more space on the desk.
The two-tone design of the desktop extends onto the silver, curved back. Although there are four generous USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 ports on the back, only two are available if you choose to use Dell's bundled, color-matched wired keyboard and mouse.
The star of the show is the HDMI input connector, which turns the screen into a console gaming television.
Then there's the star of the show: the HDMI input connector. This simple connection allows players to connect the console of their choice and use the desktop screen as a television screen. I quickly grabbed my switch and plugged it in easily. Although I haven't had the opportunity to test the Inspiron 27's performance on an Xbox One or PlayStation 4, titles like Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild looked great. The built-in soundbar offers a rich sound profile that is one step ahead of the monitor speakers.
Switching between video input sources is also easy. A recessed video source switch is located on the bottom right of the soundbar next to the power switch. A visual confirmation is displayed on the screen whether you are in PC or HDMI mode.
There's also a USB-C port, which is useful for connecting modern phones, or a USB hub for added connectivity, an Ethernet jack, a headphone jack, a locking slot, and an SD card reader. Unfortunately, the USB-C port is limited to data and power and cannot pass on video signals.
If you need a larger screen experience, you can connect the Inspiron 27 to a projector or HDTV via the HDMI output connector on the back. Given its light weight of 22 pounds, it wouldn't be difficult to transport it between an office and a conference room to connect the Inspiron to a projector for spontaneous PowerPoint presentations. The desktop itself is powered by an external charging stone with a barrel connection.
Not quite a television
Although switching between video input sources is easy, adjusting the volume in HDMI input mode is the biggest problem with the Inspiron 27 setup. Unlike standalone displays, the Inspiron does not have dedicated monitor control buttons.
No remote control is supplied either. To adjust the volume, brightness or contrast, you must first switch to PC mode. From there, you need to use the Windows 10 software controls or keyboard keys to make your adjustments.
A small remote control would have made this task much less lengthy and would have mimicked the experience with traditional television sets.
Once these settings have been made, playing with the Nintendo Switch is fun overall, provided you don't have to adjust the volume frequently. As expected with the occasional PC games, I didn't notice any screen tears or ghosting on the display.
In addition to console games, more serious PC gamers can even connect a more powerful laptop or desktop to the Inspiron 27's HDMI input jack. This could be useful for upcycling this desktop into a monitor after aging of the internal silicon, even though it has a Thunderbolt 3 connector. EGPU would have served the same purpose.
For students who want to replace a stand-alone television with this 27-inch screen, the Inspiron is a mixed bag. Connecting a set-top box like Apple TV or Amazon Fire TV Stick worked well – I tested this on both the Apple TV before 4K and the Fire TV Stick 4K – and you can conveniently watch content from a streaming TV -Service like YouTube TV, Netflix or Hulu.
I wish the Inspiron came with its own remote control for some basic TV-style controls.
Live sports content such as football will be streamed smoothly when viewed with the Fire TV Stick 4K via the ESPN channel in the AT & T TV Now service. The game I watched was chopped up only occasionally, probably due to the service's buffering and streaming limitations, and not due to the Inspiron's hardware.
Without a coaxial input jack, however, you cannot connect a cable box or signal from your college campus video source. If you're a cable cutter, you can switch channels and switch between different streaming services using the Fire TV or Apple TV remote. But just like with the limitations of game consoles, you cannot simply adjust the volume without having to get up and switch back to the PC.
Given that commercials on the AT&T TV service are sometimes louder than the actual broadcast, it can be annoying that the volume cannot simply be changed. By connecting wired or Bluetooth speakers, you can overcome some of the Inspiron 27's limitations with volume controls.
A laptop disguised as a desktop
But here too, the Inspiron 27 is more than just a monitor. It is also a full desktop PC. At least … there is.
With its 10th generation U-series processors and more anemic GeForce MX110 graphics, the Inspiron 27's datasheet doesn't read like a standard desktop PC. All laptop components are used, similar to some other all-in-one components like the HP Envy series. While this means that performance can be limited, these laptop components help keep the case a little more than an inch thick.
Don't expect to run demanding applications or games like on a more powerful desktop chip.
I found that the quad-core i5-10210u processor in our test device is fast enough for general productivity tasks such as surfing the Internet and working in office documents. The performance is comparable to that of a Dell XPS 13 or another premium laptop. Just don't expect to run demanding applications or games like on a more powerful desktop chip.
The situation is similar with the graphics. Don't expect Jedi: Fallen Order to start with maximum settings, but older titles will work fine if the settings are set to low. Call of Duty: WWII and Honor 4 looked good in my tests with very little stuttering, and Fortnite was definitely playable when scaled to 720p resolution with the game's lowest settings. If you don't need discrete graphics, Dell offers a cheaper model with integrated graphics.
The system also has 8 GB of memory, a 256 GB SSD and a 1 TB hard drive for additional storage, all of which can be updated and serviced.
It's unfortunate that Dell didn't add a Thunderbolt 3 port on this device to power external GPUs. Even if you use the screen alone with a more powerful gaming PC, you're still limited to the panel's 1080p resolution and 60 Hz refresh rate. In this regard, this is not a real gaming monitor.
Our review sample was not equipped with a touchscreen, but one can be selected with updated configurations, but touch functions are unlikely to work with HDMI input sources.
For data protection-conscious dormitory residents, the blind webcam can be shown at the top or stowed out of sight. This trend is more likely to occur on laptops and desktops. In addition to the FHD camera for Windows Hello logins without a password, improved configurations of the Inspiron 27 can also be equipped with an IR module.
Our opinion
The Inspiron 27 7790 goes beyond its purpose as an all-in-one PC. The ability to connect a console or media box to this all-in-one brings a lot of value to this solid, mediocre desktop and gives the Inspiron 27 a unique gaming advantage. Despite the lack of volume controls or brightness controls, students and cable cutters will appreciate how versatile the Inspiron 27's HDMI input connector can be.
Is there a better alternative?
If you have the money to make money, Apple's iMac series, available for the basic 27-inch configuration starting at $ 1,799, is a good alternative to the Inspiron 27. The iMac is better for computing Performance that can be useful for students working with large files or who needs graphics performance for creative tasks. However, the HDMI input is missing.
HP's Envy premium all-in-one series has the same video input, so you can use the desktop display for non-PC purposes. However, the 34-inch curved edition previously tested may be too bulky for small spaces. The more conventional Envy AIO Edition corresponds to the Inspiron's 27-inch footprint, has a similar pop-up webcam that focuses on data protection, and improved GeForce GTX 1050 graphics, making it more suitable for 1080p PC gaming, but more expensive .
How long it will take?
With a 10th generation Intel Core i5 processor in the laptop class, the Inspiron 27 7790 is expected to last at least as long as most laptops. This desktop should easily be able to guide you through your college years, and graduates can squeeze even more life out of the Inspiron after the silicon inside has worn out. By connecting a game console or a streaming stick, an aging Inspiron 27 can be upcycled as a streaming screen for the kitchen or children's room.
The Inspiron 27 is also an extremely maintainable all-in-one desktop that simplifies repairs and upgrades.
Dell offers a standard one-year warranty with mail-in service for repairs. If you need additional protection, you can extend coverage for up to four years, add accidental coverage, or both for up to $ 339. Compared to our $ 999 test device, the highest warranty coverage costs more than a third of the Inspiron price. So unless you are at risk of an accident, the value of extended protection may not be worth it.
Should you buy it
Yes. The desktop's HDMI input connector offers great versatility to gamers and cable cutters, allowing this all-in-one device to behave beyond the capabilities of a PC or laptop.
Editor's recommendations
0 notes
Text
Asus ROG Strix GL503VD 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop Black (i7 7700 HQ 2.8 GHz 16GB RAM 1TB HDD + 8GB SSD FHD Wireless GTX1050 4GB GDDR5 Bluetooth 4.1 Windows 10)
Description for Asus ROG Strix GL503VD 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop Black (i7 7700 HQ 2.8 GHz 16GB RAM 1TB HDD + 8GB SSD FHD Wireless GTX1050 4GB GDDR5 Bluetooth 4.1 Windows 10)
Meet the New Strix
The all-new ROG Strix GL503 is as sleek in appearance as it is strong in performance. Its understated, black brushed-metal cover conveys an inner focus and sophistication possessed by the most dedicated players-those who know how to keep their calm during even the most ferocious confrontations.
Longer-lasting Battery
The ROG STRIX GL503 is equipped with a 64Whr battery, a 33% improvement over previous generations giving you the freedom to the game for even longer while you are away from a power plug.
Agile Gaming Firepower
ROG Strix GL503 is built for outstanding portability and gaming performance: weighing only 5 lbs, and with a thin 0.9-inch profile, ROG Strix GL503 packs agile gaming firepower that allows you to enjoy gaming anytime and anywhere. Its portable form factor makes it a great device, not just for gaming, but for everyday use as well.
Stunning Views
ROG Strix GL503 features a brilliant wide-view panel that’s up to 50% brighter than competing models, and it offers a 100 percent sRGB color range-so it is perfect for all game genres. It also features wide view panel technology allowing you to see clearly from any angle up to 178 degrees. ROG Strix GL503 also comes with ROG GameVisual, an easy-to-use tool that contains six presets that apply your preferences for a variety of game genres, enhancing sharpness and color performance.
Level-up Your Performance
The 7th Generation Intel Core i7 quad-core processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics delivers performance that is as powerful as your gaming prowess. ROG Strix GL503 also offers 16GB of fast DDR4 2400MHz memory for superior multitasking performance.
ASUS Aura RGB Gaming Keyboard
ASUS Aura is a combination of RGB backlighting and control software that lets you customize your gaming style. The backlighting is split between four zones that can be configured independently or synchronized harmoniously. Static, breathing and color-cycling modes are available. Anti-ghosting technology with n-key rollover ensures that your inputs are tracked precisely, no matter how many keys are pressed; and the 0.25mm-deep keycap curve is precisely shaped for typing accuracy. The ROG STRIX GL503’s keyboard is rated for 20-million keystroke durability, so you can rest assured the keyboard will sustain heavy gaming sessions.
Optimized Sound Quality
Strix GL503 delivers crisp and clear audio with its onboard speakers to provide a powerful experience, even without headphones. Built-in smart amplifier technology delivers louder in-game audio up to 200% higher volume and minimizes distortion to ensure smooth operation. The system automatically monitors and reduces the intensity of output to prevent potential damage from overheating or overloading.
Keep Cool and Carry On
ROG Strix GL503 features an intelligent thermal design that employs multiple heat pipes and dual fans to maximize CPU and GPU performance. This allows you to run the CPU and GPU at full speed without thermal-throttling, and it means you’ll enjoy total stability during the most intense battles!
Faster, wider-range Wi-Fi
ROG Strix GL503 is engineered with 867Mbps 802.11ac 2x2 Wi-Fi for wireless speeds that are up to 6X faster than 802.11n. With two antennas supporting two simultaneous data streams, you will enjoy more of the high-speed bandwidth more of the time, for smoother gaming and streaming plus increased range to roam further than ever.
Free 24 Hour Delivery in UAE
We offer express delivery to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, UAE for Asus ROG Strix GL503VD 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop Black (i7 7700 HQ 2.8 GHz 16GB RAM 1TB HDD + 8GB SSD FHD Wireless GTX1050 4GB GDDR5 Bluetooth 4.1 Windows 10).
Best Price Guarantee
We offer the best price for Asus ROG Strix GL503VD 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop Black (i7 7700 HQ 2.8 GHz 16GB RAM 1TB HDD + 8GB SSD FHD Wireless GTX1050 4GB GDDR5 Bluetooth 4.1 Windows 10) in Dubai, UAE. Buy now with the best price!
Read the full article
0 notes
Text
Microsoft Surface 3 Review
The Microsoft Area 3 is usually a tablet that,as its maker's slogan goes,doubles for a notebook in a very way that its competitors have did not replicate just about 3 years on.Even though it can be argued to this day that Microsoft botched the initial Surface area start by hindering it with Home windows RT,this edition of your Floor tablet may be up to date all the way up to the Windows 10 Tumble Creators Update.Having said that,the Microsoft Area 3 Microsoft Floor 3 Charger just isn't devoid of its faults.Perhaps most notably,the keyboard and stylus usually are not incorporated,producing the total price lots greater than its price tag would direct you to think.Despite all that,Microsoft has constructed a more compact and less strong,albeit less expensive variation on the Surface Professional three from the form of the Area 3.It would make several compromises,like a scaled-down,ten.8-inch touchscreen in contrast to the Pro's 12-inch frame.But,the remainder in the Area Professional 3's spirit is left intact,in the magnetically-reinforced Style Include keyboard for the large number of excellent equipment it is possible to get for it.Even with the dearth of a pro moniker,as well as actuality that it bears more than a passing resemblance into the Surface two,the Floor 3 has killed off Windows RT and alternatively arrives with Windows eight.one mounted.It can operate any Windows method on the market and is particularly completely ready for the absolutely free enhance to Windows ten as well as all of its subsequent updates.We check out all elements with the Microsoft Surface 3 inside the critique underneath.
Design
In the hand,the Surface area 3 looks like a high quality item,and really shut in excellent and building towards the Pro products,while using the exact same magnesium outer scenario.It really is just one.37 lbs,which makes it lighter than even?Apple's new 12-inch MacBook.A person welcome alter may be the new Micro-USB charging port,which is a lot easier to handle than Microsoft's preceding proprietary magnetic charging cable.The Floor 3 is not really,nevertheless,transferring on the new USB-C relationship,as seen from the 12-inch MacBook and Google's new Chromebook Pixel.But when it provides itself as very equivalent to the Area Pro three,it truly is truly worth noting the handful of budget-minded tweaks.Most notably,it still has an adjustable kickstand,even though relatively compared to the totally adjustable variation within the Professional 3 or maybe the two-angle 1 from the more mature?Floor 2,the Area three kickstand snaps in between 3 distinctive angles.Like every past Floor,it is really not solely natural-feeling over the lap,however the a few angles involved listed here ought to function for many desk Samsung A13 040N2A Charger or pill situations.It's a disgrace Microsoft couldn't include the absolutely adjustable kickstand in the?Surface Professional?three.Like every single past Surface area,you are going to want the optional keyboard go over.With big backlit keys packed into a very slim protect,and connecting by using a magnetic hinge,its the cleverest bit of engineering in regards to the Floor line.And,since the Surface area three can be a different sizing in comparison to the more mature versions,you can expect to require the brand new keyboard cover made specifically for this device.Apparently,the other keyboard covers we experienced from earlier Surface Professional products all worked when linked for the Surface three - they only you should not match up with the display screen size.Just like the Professional 3 model,this new keyboard address incorporates a secondary hinge,which happens to be genuinely only a line near the leading edge it is possible to fold the cover together,lifting the rear up and keeping it from the human body by using a magnetic connection.This provides you a more organic typing angle.It can be an ergonomic advancement,although it can make typing louder and clackier.The modest touchpad created into your form address is still not really responsive or tap-sensitive enough for fast-track multitaskers,as well as surface area region is too shallow to easily navigate all around the screen.You can most probably create a shorthand blend of touchscreen,keyboard strokes and touchpad Asus ADP 180MB Charger for getting about.
The touchscreen includes a 1,920x1,280 native resolution,and that is much more than more than enough for just a ten.8-inch display screen which include this.The 12.5-inch Professional 3 has a 2,160x1,440 resolution,and both equally screens use a 3:2 element ratio,which makes them feel a lot more like composing with a pad of paper when held in portrait manner.Though the Floor RT and Surface area two have been tough to make use of in your lap as being a laptop as a result of the confined vacation of their kickstands,the Surface area 3 can work at 3 distinctive angles.Disappointingly,it truly is not the exact same redesigned kickstand Sony ACDP 240E02 Charger that the Floor Pro three works by using,with all the hinge to permit you to set it at any angle.On the Area 3,the first angle is totally ineffective for your lap,and also the 2nd is just somewhat better,but I discovered the third was the one I applied essentially the most.It's far from ideal,nevertheless,and that i observed myself longing to the adjustability from the Surface Professional three.I take advantage of my notebook in bizarre positions quite a bit,with my legs crossed,to the floor of the trade show,during the again of the cab,and a lot of other sites.Ordinarily I just move the display screen backwards and forwards to regulate the angle Sony XBR65X900E Charger and count on the durable foundation,but with the Surface area 3 I found I had to regulate the way in which I was sitting down instead.Should you use it on a desk it can be primarily wonderful,nevertheless it nevertheless results in being irritating in case your desk doesn't do the job properly with a person of those a few angles.
Performance
The Area Professional three was rarely a gaming powerhouse since of its integrated graphics,along with the Surface area three is actually a notch under.It comes with Intel High definition Graphics,which aren't significantly strong - but don't rule out light-weight gaming entirely.Soon after downloading Team Fortress 2 on Steam,I used to be able to participate in the sport on-line with graphics high quality dialled down as well as resolution lowered to 800 x 600.When it certainly did not search wonderful,it had been completely playable at sleek body prices of concerning 40FPS and 60FPS - I even managed to acquire my snipe on and not do terribly.Just don't try cranking up the resolution Charger 828769 001 as even the base 16:nine resolution of 1,280 x 720 noticed body premiums drop into a sludgy sub-30FPS.Plainly the Floor three will not be built for gaming,and when that's your major worry then a laptop similar to the Acer?Aspire S3,which features low-end focused graphics,may be picked up for the same price.The Surface area 3 has two webcams - an 8MP rear dealing with digital camera with autofocus and also a entrance going through three.5MP snapper.The rear camera can take well-composed and obvious pictures which have been packed with colours,and the front-facing camera is a lot more than enough for Skype and various on the web communications.The Surface area three is just not likely to substitute your smartphone as your key snapper,but it can be excellent to know that it is nearly the task.The Surface 3's speaker,on the other hand,is almost nothing to shout about.The audio will come outside of the best strip along the rear in the pill and it is disappointingly lacking in mid-range and bass frequencies.Microsoft won't be able to use speaker measurement as an argument during this spot - the brand new MacBook's speakers are much more compact but substantially fuller-sounding.Much like the Area Pro 3's keyboard,attaching the keyboard's magnetic strip for the bottom from the display can make it sturdier on your lap,a thing that looks to operate much better to the Surface area three owing to its smaller sized sizing.I continue to want laying the keyboard flat when typing on a stable area mainly because it gets rid of the flex you can get in the midst of it when putting the keys.For me,the keyboard remains the weakest portion of the entire Floor encounter - it really is costly,flimsy,suffers from flex,has mushy keys and easily isn't acceptable for hammering out prolonged files.The very fact that it is required if you need a canopy to your Area is really frustrating too.Why not provide a magenetic protecting address with no keyboard for a extremely modest chunk of adjust,as well as a independent focused Surface area keyboard?Lookup YouTube Apple Mini Charger and you will find people applying Bluetooth keyboards with their Surface area Pro three tablets - and it truly is not tough to determine why.The?Asus T300 Chi's?keyboard isn't excellent possibly,but not less than it gives you chiclet keys along with a sturdy base for destroying all those small ants in the course of the night time.
The Area 3's Area Pen has 256 amounts of pressure sensitivity HP 250 G2 G3 Charger that lets you press more difficult around the show to produce strokes of various thickness.You will find there's slight and obvious lag when the pen will get into use.It really is very easily rapid adequate to jot down notes in a leisurely pace though the reaction just isn't razor-sharp - journalism college students couldn't use it to write down in shorthand,as an example.That said,it really works effectively together with the pen's three-button system; the purple just one at the prime is utilized for firing up OneNote,though two close to the nib are utilized to select drawing more or erasing method,letting you to swiftly jot,erase,correct and repeat.The Floor 3's palm block know-how,which helps prevent you from drawing over the monitor whilst keeping the Area within your hand,will work properly - but is just not flawless - the screen moved up or down around the odd celebration when i pressed my palm from it to write.I found the Area Pro 3 a little bit unwieldy to hold in portrait manner,though the Floor 3's lesser sizing and three:two facet ratio enable it to be ideal for employing for a notepad.A Surface area Mini could well be better still for this,nevertheless the Floor 3 is probably the most effective products out there for your undertaking at this time.We been given quite a few equipment Asus ADP 180MB G750 Charger with our critique device,the key of that is definitely the kind Address.Key vacation is usually a little bit constrained,not surprisingly,but hardly worse than an average ultrabook and aided by a organization bottoming action with exceptional tactile responses.I wrote the vast majority of this evaluate on the Surface three,and though I could nit-pick regarding the deficiency of place concerning keys or perhaps the undersized Backspace key,in fact I had no far more trouble than I've had with lots of 15-inch notebooks.The keyboard is even backlit and will prop alone up at an ergonomic incline.As well as the Form Deal with is more than just a keyboard.It also adds a small touchpad.Though it measures an inch and a fifty percent deep by three inches huge,it really works fairly very well,even at default sensitivity.Multi-touch gestures R7 571 6858 Battery are its principal weak spot,as there's not sufficient room to simply utilize them.Even scrolling can verify a little a hassle.Naturally,the Area 3 includes a touchscreen,which aids mitigate that challenge.I discovered significantly less use for the other main input accent,the Area Pen.You can find almost nothing mistaken with it,particularly.It does its task very well - greater than most,even.When employing the Floor generally,even though,or maybe for productivity,it looks like additional effort and hard work Asus A32LM9H Battery than its truly worth.Selecting up and utilizing the pen is much more time intensive than working with the touchpad or tapping the touchscreen,and while technically extra precise,the extra precision isn't necessary.And as in past Surface styles,Microsoft has yet again failed to provide a safe mount with the Pen on the pill itself,which makes add-on much too easy to lose.An adjunct new on the entry-level Surface area line Bose 088772 088789 088796 Battery is definitely the docking station,something only Professionals have loved right until now.The station prices and holds the gadget and offers added connectivity: one particular extra USB three.0,two extra USB 2.0,and Gigabit Ethernet.DisplayPort and a three.5mm combo audio jack may also be involved,but these are uncovered about the Surface area itself likewise.Pen storage is an element of the bundle,also,from the sort of a magnetic holder.
Conclusion
The in general superb engineering and design in the Floor Pro 3 has trickled right down to this mainstream-friendly model.Despite having the CPU dialed back again to an Intel Atom,plus the monitor both of those smaller sized and which has a decreased resolution,it feels reasonably quality primarily given the small starting value.When the Surface area three incorporated it pricey,but necessary,keyboard deal with in its foundation price tag,it might get an extremely strong suggestion.Because it is,incorporating the keyboard drives it into territory where you'd rightly expect additional electric power battery for bose soundlink ii for your price tag.Like each and every past Area,the new Area 3 is often a product that pits its abilities against its contradictions.Microsoft is totally correct when it claims the Area line's features exceeds that of possibly a tablet or laptop on your own.That holds real even with this extra economical,yet a lot less capable,product.Using this just one gadget you may watch 1080p online video,edit spreadsheets,browse the world wide web wherever Wi-Fi is out there,acquire photographs,deal with 'em in Photoshop,article on your WordPress website,deal with documents on an FTP server,code an application,participate in 2nd online games,and much more.There is not a computer over the planet using a broader range of potential utilizes than a Area.The benefit of performance is well balanced because of the compromises MSI GS60 Battery demanded to attain it,even so.Compared to an?Android tablet?or iPad the Surface 3 is heavier,thicker and doesn't previous as very long on the cost.Placed close to a standard notebook it really is significantly less powerful and presents a lot less display genuine estate.Hence the dilemma is,does the good thing about better functionality outweigh the drag of constrained capability?Amazingly,the solution is usually indeed.The Atom processor is gradual,plus the display screen is little,as well as the battery could last for a longer period.Yet this gadget continues to be a perfectly usable - dare I say,pleasing - notebook.It really is fewer satisfying for a pill,but nevertheless perfectly serviceable,specifically for users most thinking about searching the world wide web,viewing video clips,checking social media,and not a great deal else.But you can find a different problem.A foundation Area three is barely $500,which looks great.That's the entry-level cost of an iPad with only 16GB of storage in lieu of 64GB.What you may really want,while,is our assessment procedure,with four gigabytes of RAM and 128GB of storage.That is $600.And given that the device's emphasize is its capacity to work as equally pill and notebook,which suggests it really is dearer than an Asus Zenbook UX305 - and lots of other able notebooks.You could even buy a notebook and a cheap Android tablet for as much.Which is an issue.Microsoft believes the Surface area makes sense mainly because it eliminates the inconvenience MSI GS63VR Charger of getting a tablet and Pc,but I am unsure that's a problem many people deal with.If you journey quite a bit,certain: hauling the two might be a ache.But plenty of people will not travel the vast majority of time.Many people keep at home,as well as in that case,possessing a different pill and notebook isn't a dilemma in the least.The Surface three fulfills its mission of offering just one small,transportable gadget which will change two other equipment entirely.Still it prices a lot of,and to be a final result misses half the point of condensing a pill and a notebook into a person.If you've got at any time been frustrated from the need to carry each,Microsoft's 2-in-1 might be perfect - but most people will see the price of ease is just a tiny bit way too steep.
0 notes
Text
#gallery-0-5 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 16%; } #gallery-0-5 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
The Pros
Great price for a GTX 1060 GPU; Strong performance; Relatively long battery life; two-year warranty; Easy to upgrade
The Cons
Display is on the dim side
Verdict
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a great deal for a gaming machine with a GTX 1060 GPU.
Lots of laptop companies claim that their systems are great deals, but Acer is actually putting its money where its mouth is — and with a gaming laptop, no less. The Acer Predator Helios 300 ($1,099.99 to start) offers a powerful, VR-ready Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU for a lower price than competitors and runs circles around the GTX 1050 Ti cards that competing laptops use at that price. It’s upgradable, should you want to spend more to improve it later, but the display is dimmer than I’d like. But if you don’t mind that, you’ll get a powerful gaming notebook for a steal.
Design
The Predator’s aluminum-and-plastic design doesn’t stray far from the look of Acer’s other budget gaming notebooks; its black, metal lid has two red stripes flanking the Predator logo. There’s a small plastic bumper on the top of the lid that feels far cheaper than the aluminum that surrounds it.
When you lift the lid, you’ll find the 15.6-inch, 1080p display, surrounded by a bezel that has the Predator logo on the bottom and the Acer logo on the top-left corner. That second logo is distracting, and I wish Acer had the confidence to let the Predator brand stand on its own, the way Dell does with Alienware and Asus does with its Republic of Gamers line. There’s also a full keyboard with a number pad utilizing red backlighting and red WASD keys, as well as a black, metal deck.
At 5.5 pounds and 15.4 x 10.5 x 1.5 inches, the Predator Helios 300 is a little larger than other mainstream gaming notebooks but also just a tad lighter. The Asus ROG Strix GL553VD (15.1 x 10 x 1.2 inches, 5.6 pounds) and the Lenovo Legion Y520 (15 x 10.4 x 1 inches, 5.6 pounds) are slightly smaller. The 17-inch MSI GP72VR 7RFX Leopard Pro is, unsurprisingly, bigger and heavier (16.5 x 10.6 x 1.5 inches, 6.4 pounds).
As any good gaming notebook should, the Predator has plenty of ports. On the left side are an Ethernet jack, a USB Type-C port, HDMI output, a USB 3.0 port and an SD card slot. A headphone jack and a pair of USB 2.0 ports are located on the right side of the laptop.
Display
The 15.6-inch, 1080p display on the Predator is sharp but otherwise lackluster. When I watched the trailer for Marvel’s Inhumans, Medusa’s red hair didn’t pop against her lavender dress, and bright lights overpowered both Black Bolt and Medusa in a scene together. It wasn’t as bright as I would have liked, but it was perfectly usable.
I had a similar experience in Mass Effect: Andromeda. In dark areas, I wished I could bump up the brightness, but in lighter parts of the game, I could see fine. Some fires during a space battle looked more orange than red, but it otherwise looked accurate.
The Predator’s display covers 81 percent of the sRGB color gamut, surpassing the Legion (68 percent) but falling below the 15-inch laptop average (94 percent), the Strix (122 percent) and the Leopard Pro (165 percent).
MORE: The Best Laptops for Every Need
The colors aren’t the most accurate, either. The Predator’s Delta-E score of 4.7 (0 is ideal) is worse than the average (2.2), as well as the scores for the Strix (1.6), the Leopard Pro (0.3) and the Legion (0.2)
The screen measured 226 nits of average brightness on our light meter, which is dimmer than the average (274 nits), the Strix (269 nits) and the Leopard Pro (245 nits), but brighter than the Legion (220 nits).
Keyboard and Touchpad
The Predator’s keyboard is comfortable, but I wish it felt more responsive. The keys have 1.6 millimeters of vertical travel, so I never felt as if I were bottoming out. But the keys require 79 grams of pressure to actuate, which kept them from feeling light and clicky. It didn’t take long to get used to the extra pressure, though, and I typed at 109 words per minute (within my usual 107-115-wpm range) with my standard 2 percent error rate).
There are a few oddities on the keyboard. The Shift key and the top arrow key are very close together — far closer than any other two keys on the keyboard — and the right arrow key takes up some space in the number pad. Unlike the keyboard on the similarly priced Strix, the Predator’s keyboard is backlit only in red; it doesn’t have full RGB lighting.
The 4.1 x 3-inch touchpad is spacious, accurate and responsive to Windows 10 gestures; I had no problem pinching to zoom or swiping my Windows away. I had to click a bit harder than I usually expect to, though for games, most players use a dedicated gaming mouse anyway.
Audio
Acer’s TrueHarmony speakers are nice and loud, just how I like them. When I listened to Zedd and Alessia Cara’s “Stay,” the computer pumped the song from wall to wall of our midsize meeting room, producing clear vocals, synths and drums. The bass wasn’t as strong as I would have liked, though.
When I played Mass Effect: Andromeda, I could clearly hear the lasers in the middle of a space battle, and chatter with teammates was loud and clear.
Acer’s TrueHarmony speakers are nice and loud, just how I like them.
The preinstalled Dolby Audio app offers a series of profiles, including Music, Movie and Game modes. Movie mode made it slightly louder, and Game mode focused on the drums. I found that the default Music setting was a fine balance.
Gaming, Graphics and VR
The Predator’s Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM is a great value, and it showed its might in our performance testing. When I played Mass Effect: Andromeda on ultra settings at 1080p with FXAA anti-aliasing, the game ran between 70 and 80 frames per second during battle and occasionally dropped down to 64 fps during interactive cutscenes.
On the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark (1080p, very high settings), the Predator ran the game at 67 fps, surpassing the mainstream notebook average (36 fps), the Strix (18 fps, GTX 1050), the Leopard Pro (33 fps, GTX 1060) and the Legion (46 fps, GTX 1050 Ti).
MORE: The Best Gaming Laptops
The Hitman benchmark (1080p, very high settings) rendered at 67 fps on the Helios 300, falling behind the Leopard Pro (78 fps) but ahead of the average (44 fps), the Strix (30 fps) and the Legion (60 fps).
Grand Theft Auto V (1080p, ultra settings) played at 49 fps, which is slightly better than the average (47 fps) and the Leopard Pro (48 fps) and much smoother than the Strix (23 fps). We consider anything over 30 fps to be playable.
The Predator achieved a score of 7.1 on the SteamVR Performance Test, surpassing the average of 5.6 and tying the Leopard Pro.
Performance
The Predator is armed with a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive, which is more than enough for some serious multitasking. I had 30 tabs open in Chrome while I watched a 1080p stream on Twitch, and didn’t see any lag.
On the Geekbench 4 overall performance test, the Predator notched a score of 13,587, overcoming the mainstream average (10,675) and the rest of the pack. The Legion earned a score of 13,037, the Strix reached 12,253 and the Leopard Pro achieved 12,147.
The Predator’s Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM is a great value, and it showed its might in our performance testing.
It took the Predator 27 seconds to copy 4.97GB of mixed media files, resulting in a rate of 188.5 megabytes per second. The average is 207.6 MBps, while the Legion (363.5 MBps) and the Leopard Pro (565.5 MBps) were both quicker. The Strix (94.2 MBps) came in a distant last place.
The Predator took 3 minutes and 22 seconds to pair 20,000 names and addresses in our OpenOffice Spreadsheet Macro, handily beating the average of 4:12. The Legion (3:19) was quicker, and the Strix (3:31) and the Leopard Pro (3:24) were a little slower.
Battery Life
This is a gaming laptop that lasted far longer than we expected. It ran for 6 hours and 48 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which browses the web continuously over Wi-Fi. That’s lower than the mainstream average (7:00), but gaming notebooks tend to not even come close to that.
MORE: Laptops with the Longest Battery Life
The Leopard Pro, for instance, endured for only 2:32, while the Legion (3:39) and the Strix (3:41) also died out much sooner than the Predator.
Heat
When it’s not gaming, the Predator stays nice and cool under simple workloads. After we streamed HD video from YouTube for 15 minutes, the bottom of the notebook reached just 88 degrees Fahrenheit; the keyboard between the G and H keys measured 84.5 degrees; and the touchpad was 79.5 degrees. All of these temperatures are below our 95-degree comfort threshold.
But things heat up when you start to play: The bottom climbed to 113.5 degrees, and the keyboard reached 104.5 degrees. However, the touchpad stayed cool, at 83.5 degrees.
Webcam
The 720p webcam on the Predator is nice and sharp, but its colors aren’t accurate. While I could make out individual hairs and see the creases in a colleague’s jacket behind me, my navy-blue shirt appeared black.
Software and Warranty
Acer’s biggest addition to the Predator is its PredatorSense app, which lets you monitor CPU and GPU speeds and fine-tune fan control for optimal performance.
You’ll also find all the bloat usually packed into Windows 10, including Sling, Facebook, Twitter, Candy Crush Soda Saga and Royal Revolt 2.
Acer sells the Predator Helios 300 with a two-year warranty. See how the company did on our Tech Support Showdown and Best and Worst Brands report.
Configurations and Value
The Predator Helios 300 we reviewed was the $1,099.99 base model, which has a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.
It’s remarkably easy to upgrade. On the bottom are two doors — each secured by a single screw — to access the memory and the drive bay.
MORE: Best Acer Laptops
If you prefer to buy it with more storage, you can get an identical model that throws in a 1TB HDD alongside a 128GB SSD, for $1,399.99. Models coming later this year will include a metal fan and an overclockable GPU. Acer also sells a series of 17-inch Predator Helios 300 configurations with otherwise identical specs (except a bump up to a 512GB SSD) starting at $1,399.99.
Any laptop with a GTX 1060 GPU at that starting price is a great value. Many laptops in this price range use lesser cards. At $1,249, the Legion has a GTX 1050 Ti, and the Leopard Pro costs at least $200 more with the same GPU.
Bottom Line
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a powerful, VR-ready gaming machine that costs several hundred dollars less than you might expect. Acer cut some corners with the display to get there, but its easy upgradability makes it a laptop you can keep gaming on for the long term. The battery life also impressed us.
If you want a better display and faster storage, the MSI GP72VR 7RFX Leopard Pro is the way to go, but you’ll have to pay at least another $200, and it gets only 2 hours and 32 minutes of battery life. Lots of companies tout laptops that are strong values. Acer’s Predator Helios 300 is the real deal.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
CPU 2.8-Ghz Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU Operating System Windows 10 Home RAM 16GB RAM Upgradable to 32GB Hard Drive Size 256GB SSD Hard Drive Speed Hard Drive Type M.2 SATA SSD Secondary Hard Drive Size Secondary Hard Drive Speed Secondary Hard Drive Type Display Size 15.6 Highest Available Resolution 1920 x 1080 Native Resolution 1920×1080 Optical Drive Optical Drive Speed Graphics Card Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 / 6GB Video Memory 6 GB Wi-Fi 802.11ac Wi-Fi Model 2×2 MIMO Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 Mobile Broadband Touchpad Size 4.1 x 3.0 inches Ports (excluding USB) Kensington Lock Ports (excluding USB) USB 2.0 Ports (excluding USB) USB 3.0 Ports (excluding USB) USB 3.1 with Type-C Ports (excluding USB) Ethernet Ports (excluding USB) HDMI Ports (excluding USB) Headphone USB Ports 4 Card Slots SD memory reader Warranty/Support 2-year warranty Size 15.4 x 10.5 x 1.5 inches Weight 5.47 pounds Company Website acer.com
Acer Predator Helios 300 (15-Inch) Review
The Pros Great price for a GTX 1060 GPU; Strong performance; Relatively long battery life; two-year warranty; Easy to upgrade…
Acer Predator Helios 300 (15-Inch) Review The Pros Great price for a GTX 1060 GPU; Strong performance; Relatively long battery life; two-year warranty; Easy to upgrade…
0 notes
Text
#gallery-0-5 { margin: auto; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 16%; } #gallery-0-5 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-0-5 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
The Pros
Great price for a GTX 1060 GPU; Strong performance; Relatively long battery life; two-year warranty; Easy to upgrade
The Cons
Display is on the dim side
Verdict
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a great deal for a gaming machine with a GTX 1060 GPU.
Lots of laptop companies claim that their systems are great deals, but Acer is actually putting its money where its mouth is — and with a gaming laptop, no less. The Acer Predator Helios 300 ($1,099.99 to start) offers a powerful, VR-ready Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU for a lower price than competitors and runs circles around the GTX 1050 Ti cards that competing laptops use at that price. It’s upgradable, should you want to spend more to improve it later, but the display is dimmer than I’d like. But if you don’t mind that, you’ll get a powerful gaming notebook for a steal.
Design
The Predator’s aluminum-and-plastic design doesn’t stray far from the look of Acer’s other budget gaming notebooks; its black, metal lid has two red stripes flanking the Predator logo. There’s a small plastic bumper on the top of the lid that feels far cheaper than the aluminum that surrounds it.
When you lift the lid, you’ll find the 15.6-inch, 1080p display, surrounded by a bezel that has the Predator logo on the bottom and the Acer logo on the top-left corner. That second logo is distracting, and I wish Acer had the confidence to let the Predator brand stand on its own, the way Dell does with Alienware and Asus does with its Republic of Gamers line. There’s also a full keyboard with a number pad utilizing red backlighting and red WASD keys, as well as a black, metal deck.
At 5.5 pounds and 15.4 x 10.5 x 1.5 inches, the Predator Helios 300 is a little larger than other mainstream gaming notebooks but also just a tad lighter. The Asus ROG Strix GL553VD (15.1 x 10 x 1.2 inches, 5.6 pounds) and the Lenovo Legion Y520 (15 x 10.4 x 1 inches, 5.6 pounds) are slightly smaller. The 17-inch MSI GP72VR 7RFX Leopard Pro is, unsurprisingly, bigger and heavier (16.5 x 10.6 x 1.5 inches, 6.4 pounds).
As any good gaming notebook should, the Predator has plenty of ports. On the left side are an Ethernet jack, a USB Type-C port, HDMI output, a USB 3.0 port and an SD card slot. A headphone jack and a pair of USB 2.0 ports are located on the right side of the laptop.
Display
The 15.6-inch, 1080p display on the Predator is sharp but otherwise lackluster. When I watched the trailer for Marvel’s Inhumans, Medusa’s red hair didn’t pop against her lavender dress, and bright lights overpowered both Black Bolt and Medusa in a scene together. It wasn’t as bright as I would have liked, but it was perfectly usable.
I had a similar experience in Mass Effect: Andromeda. In dark areas, I wished I could bump up the brightness, but in lighter parts of the game, I could see fine. Some fires during a space battle looked more orange than red, but it otherwise looked accurate.
The Predator’s display covers 81 percent of the sRGB color gamut, surpassing the Legion (68 percent) but falling below the 15-inch laptop average (94 percent), the Strix (122 percent) and the Leopard Pro (165 percent).
MORE: The Best Laptops for Every Need
The colors aren’t the most accurate, either. The Predator’s Delta-E score of 4.7 (0 is ideal) is worse than the average (2.2), as well as the scores for the Strix (1.6), the Leopard Pro (0.3) and the Legion (0.2)
The screen measured 226 nits of average brightness on our light meter, which is dimmer than the average (274 nits), the Strix (269 nits) and the Leopard Pro (245 nits), but brighter than the Legion (220 nits).
Keyboard and Touchpad
The Predator’s keyboard is comfortable, but I wish it felt more responsive. The keys have 1.6 millimeters of vertical travel, so I never felt as if I were bottoming out. But the keys require 79 grams of pressure to actuate, which kept them from feeling light and clicky. It didn’t take long to get used to the extra pressure, though, and I typed at 109 words per minute (within my usual 107-115-wpm range) with my standard 2 percent error rate).
There are a few oddities on the keyboard. The Shift key and the top arrow key are very close together — far closer than any other two keys on the keyboard — and the right arrow key takes up some space in the number pad. Unlike the keyboard on the similarly priced Strix, the Predator’s keyboard is backlit only in red; it doesn’t have full RGB lighting.
The 4.1 x 3-inch touchpad is spacious, accurate and responsive to Windows 10 gestures; I had no problem pinching to zoom or swiping my Windows away. I had to click a bit harder than I usually expect to, though for games, most players use a dedicated gaming mouse anyway.
Audio
Acer’s TrueHarmony speakers are nice and loud, just how I like them. When I listened to Zedd and Alessia Cara’s “Stay,” the computer pumped the song from wall to wall of our midsize meeting room, producing clear vocals, synths and drums. The bass wasn’t as strong as I would have liked, though.
When I played Mass Effect: Andromeda, I could clearly hear the lasers in the middle of a space battle, and chatter with teammates was loud and clear.
Acer’s TrueHarmony speakers are nice and loud, just how I like them.
The preinstalled Dolby Audio app offers a series of profiles, including Music, Movie and Game modes. Movie mode made it slightly louder, and Game mode focused on the drums. I found that the default Music setting was a fine balance.
Gaming, Graphics and VR
The Predator’s Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM is a great value, and it showed its might in our performance testing. When I played Mass Effect: Andromeda on ultra settings at 1080p with FXAA anti-aliasing, the game ran between 70 and 80 frames per second during battle and occasionally dropped down to 64 fps during interactive cutscenes.
On the Rise of the Tomb Raider benchmark (1080p, very high settings), the Predator ran the game at 67 fps, surpassing the mainstream notebook average (36 fps), the Strix (18 fps, GTX 1050), the Leopard Pro (33 fps, GTX 1060) and the Legion (46 fps, GTX 1050 Ti).
MORE: The Best Gaming Laptops
The Hitman benchmark (1080p, very high settings) rendered at 67 fps on the Helios 300, falling behind the Leopard Pro (78 fps) but ahead of the average (44 fps), the Strix (30 fps) and the Legion (60 fps).
Grand Theft Auto V (1080p, ultra settings) played at 49 fps, which is slightly better than the average (47 fps) and the Leopard Pro (48 fps) and much smoother than the Strix (23 fps). We consider anything over 30 fps to be playable.
The Predator achieved a score of 7.1 on the SteamVR Performance Test, surpassing the average of 5.6 and tying the Leopard Pro.
Performance
The Predator is armed with a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive, which is more than enough for some serious multitasking. I had 30 tabs open in Chrome while I watched a 1080p stream on Twitch, and didn’t see any lag.
On the Geekbench 4 overall performance test, the Predator notched a score of 13,587, overcoming the mainstream average (10,675) and the rest of the pack. The Legion earned a score of 13,037, the Strix reached 12,253 and the Leopard Pro achieved 12,147.
The Predator’s Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM is a great value, and it showed its might in our performance testing.
It took the Predator 27 seconds to copy 4.97GB of mixed media files, resulting in a rate of 188.5 megabytes per second. The average is 207.6 MBps, while the Legion (363.5 MBps) and the Leopard Pro (565.5 MBps) were both quicker. The Strix (94.2 MBps) came in a distant last place.
The Predator took 3 minutes and 22 seconds to pair 20,000 names and addresses in our OpenOffice Spreadsheet Macro, handily beating the average of 4:12. The Legion (3:19) was quicker, and the Strix (3:31) and the Leopard Pro (3:24) were a little slower.
Battery Life
This is a gaming laptop that lasted far longer than we expected. It ran for 6 hours and 48 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, which browses the web continuously over Wi-Fi. That’s lower than the mainstream average (7:00), but gaming notebooks tend to not even come close to that.
MORE: Laptops with the Longest Battery Life
The Leopard Pro, for instance, endured for only 2:32, while the Legion (3:39) and the Strix (3:41) also died out much sooner than the Predator.
Heat
When it’s not gaming, the Predator stays nice and cool under simple workloads. After we streamed HD video from YouTube for 15 minutes, the bottom of the notebook reached just 88 degrees Fahrenheit; the keyboard between the G and H keys measured 84.5 degrees; and the touchpad was 79.5 degrees. All of these temperatures are below our 95-degree comfort threshold.
But things heat up when you start to play: The bottom climbed to 113.5 degrees, and the keyboard reached 104.5 degrees. However, the touchpad stayed cool, at 83.5 degrees.
Webcam
The 720p webcam on the Predator is nice and sharp, but its colors aren’t accurate. While I could make out individual hairs and see the creases in a colleague’s jacket behind me, my navy-blue shirt appeared black.
Software and Warranty
Acer’s biggest addition to the Predator is its PredatorSense app, which lets you monitor CPU and GPU speeds and fine-tune fan control for optimal performance.
You’ll also find all the bloat usually packed into Windows 10, including Sling, Facebook, Twitter, Candy Crush Soda Saga and Royal Revolt 2.
Acer sells the Predator Helios 300 with a two-year warranty. See how the company did on our Tech Support Showdown and Best and Worst Brands report.
Configurations and Value
The Predator Helios 300 we reviewed was the $1,099.99 base model, which has a 2.8-GHz Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GPU with 6GB of VRAM, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD.
It’s remarkably easy to upgrade. On the bottom are two doors — each secured by a single screw — to access the memory and the drive bay.
MORE: Best Acer Laptops
If you prefer to buy it with more storage, you can get an identical model that throws in a 1TB HDD alongside a 128GB SSD, for $1,399.99. Models coming later this year will include a metal fan and an overclockable GPU. Acer also sells a series of 17-inch Predator Helios 300 configurations with otherwise identical specs (except a bump up to a 512GB SSD) starting at $1,399.99.
Any laptop with a GTX 1060 GPU at that starting price is a great value. Many laptops in this price range use lesser cards. At $1,249, the Legion has a GTX 1050 Ti, and the Leopard Pro costs at least $200 more with the same GPU.
Bottom Line
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a powerful, VR-ready gaming machine that costs several hundred dollars less than you might expect. Acer cut some corners with the display to get there, but its easy upgradability makes it a laptop you can keep gaming on for the long term. The battery life also impressed us.
If you want a better display and faster storage, the MSI GP72VR 7RFX Leopard Pro is the way to go, but you’ll have to pay at least another $200, and it gets only 2 hours and 32 minutes of battery life. Lots of companies tout laptops that are strong values. Acer’s Predator Helios 300 is the real deal.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
CPU 2.8-Ghz Intel Core i7-7700HQ CPU Operating System Windows 10 Home RAM 16GB RAM Upgradable to 32GB Hard Drive Size 256GB SSD Hard Drive Speed Hard Drive Type M.2 SATA SSD Secondary Hard Drive Size Secondary Hard Drive Speed Secondary Hard Drive Type Display Size 15.6 Highest Available Resolution 1920 x 1080 Native Resolution 1920×1080 Optical Drive Optical Drive Speed Graphics Card Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 / 6GB Video Memory 6 GB Wi-Fi 802.11ac Wi-Fi Model 2×2 MIMO Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 Mobile Broadband Touchpad Size 4.1 x 3.0 inches Ports (excluding USB) Kensington Lock Ports (excluding USB) USB 2.0 Ports (excluding USB) USB 3.0 Ports (excluding USB) USB 3.1 with Type-C Ports (excluding USB) Ethernet Ports (excluding USB) HDMI Ports (excluding USB) Headphone USB Ports 4 Card Slots SD memory reader Warranty/Support 2-year warranty Size 15.4 x 10.5 x 1.5 inches Weight 5.47 pounds Company Website acer.com
Acer Predator Helios 300 (15-Inch) Review The Pros Great price for a GTX 1060 GPU; Strong performance; Relatively long battery life; two-year warranty; Easy to upgrade…
0 notes
Text
Comparing the Dell XPS 13 9370 versus Apple's 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar gets some pretty substantial improvements for 2018, with a beefier processor, faster GPU and new True Tone display. The upgrades bring the small form factor Pro on par with Dell's XPS 13, our all-time favorite Windows laptop. But which one is right for you? In an earlier comparison of the previous generation 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar and a comparable XPS 13-inch, Apple's notebook edged out the Dell in a few key categories. The base 13-inch MacBook Pro is completely unchanged from last year, so if you're in the market for a computer in the $1300 price range, it's worth a look. The 13-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pro for $1,799 has seen some massive updates, so this time it will be compared to the $1,799 version of Dell's XPS 13. As Dell is constantly having sales on their laptops, you can probably find the 9370 on offer at a much lower price. Big differences The main differences between both computers is that the Dell comes with double the SSD storage and a 4K-resolution display instead of a 2.5K display on the MacBook Pro.The XPS is also smaller and lighter than the MacBook, even though it has the same 13-inch screen, thanks to the infinity edge design Most would agree that the XPS's design isn't as nice as the MacBook's beautiful all aluminum build, but it still looks and feels great. The MacBook has a larger 58 Watt-hour battery, compared to 52 on the Dell. It also includes a higher-wattage USB-C charger. Either way, battery life is great on both laptops. The XPS has three USB-C ports, two of which support Thunderbolt 3, and a microSD card slot, along with a USB-A adapter that ships with it in the box. The MacBook Pro has four Thunderbolt 3 ports, meaning you can connect more demanding devices like eGPUs or 5K displays. Performance Both machines come with 8 gigabytes of RAM, but the MacBook's memory is clocked slightly faster. The new Touch Bar 13-inch MacBook Pro is now powered by Intel's 8th generation i5 quad-core processor, comparable to the XPS's quad-core i7. The base clock speed is quite a bit higher on the Mac, but the XPS boosts to a slightly higher 4.0GHz. In the first benchmark, Geekbench 4's CPU test, both laptops turned in nearly the exact same single-core score, However, the MacBook Pro completely destroyed the XPS in multi-core tests. Taking a look at Cinebench R15, the MacBook Pro scored 621 points, compared to 598 on the XPS. It's close, but there's no doubt that the MacBook Pro has a faster CPU. Testing graphics performance, the MacBook Pro again defeats the XPS with a score of 32,831 against 22,008. The MacBook Pro is the obvious choice for performance. In everything from light gaming to video editing, it comes out on top. It then becomes a case of looking at the rest of the MacBook Pro's features to see if it's worth the extra cash. Keyboards and Trackpad Apple has updated the keyboard to include silicone barriers under each key, potentially protecting the key switches from dust. While Apple has not officially confirmed the purpose of the barriers, they could address keyboard issues that popped up in older butterfly key MacBooks. The XPS keys are fairly quiet with good travel and a quality feel resulting in a keyboard we think most will prefer compared to Apple's minimal-travel butterfly keys. The XPS's trackpad is likely one of the best for Windows laptops, but it's a huge step behind Apple's Force Touch trackpad, one that's twice as large and has perfectly even input no matter where you press. Feedback can also be adjusted to a user's preference, and honestly, nothing else compares. Audio, Touch Bar, and T2 In our previous comparison, the 13-inch base MacBook Pro's speakers blew the XPS out of the water. For 2018, the MacBook Pro's speakers have been updated with great improvements in the bass and mids. Volume on the XPS is good enough for most situations but the sound quality is subpar and the speakers fire to the sides. The MacBook speakers face the user and are louder with much more bass, clean mids and crisper highs. The Touch Bar MacBook Pro obviously comes with the Touch Bar, but without wide third-party app support, its utility is very limited. MacBook also boasts a fingerprint scanner in Touch ID, a function mirrored by a generic scanner on the XPS. However, the Touch Bar model comes with Apple's T2 chip, which takes care of a bunch of system controllers so the CPU doesn't have to handle those tasks. The list includes automatic SSD encryption that doesn't slow down the SSD, previously one of the biggest drawbacks of encrypting Mac storage. The T2 chip also enables "Hey Siri" on the MacBook, and when macOS Mojave arrives this fall, it can be used to control your HomeKit devices. The Dell's almost bezel-less design is striking, but it also forces the webcam down next to the hinge. This makes for a very unflattering perspective that could be a dealbreaker for those who use the webcam often. Apple's version not only sports a better and higher viewing angle, but also tops the Dell in video and sound quality. One of our favorite features on the XPS is Windows Hello sign in. While not as advanced as Face ID, the software-based bio-recognition function works incredibly well. Unfortunately, Apple's new MacBook Pro didn't get Face ID like we hoped it would, so the XPS wins there. Screens Both of these machines fall into the 13-inch category, but the MacBook's screen is slightly larger and uses a 16:10 format resulting in extra vertical space. Because of this, the MacBook Pro has just over 22 percent more surface area when compared to the XPS 13-inch, which is closer to the 12-inch Retina MacBook in terms of usability. The XPS features a beautiful 4K display, which obviously tops the MacBook Pro's 2.5K display. On top of that, it's more color accurate, with 100-percent sRGB color. The XPS is advertised at 400 nits of brightness, but many reviewers rated it at about 350 nits. The MacBook Pro comes out at an accurate 500 nits of brightness, so it will be much better for outdoor use. The 2018 MacBook Pro now comes with True Tone, a feature that automatically adjusts the screen's color temperature to match the ambient light in your room, so it'll look more natural. For anyone doing professional editing work that requires accurate color reproduction, switching True Tone on is a bad idea. Although the 4K display on the XPS is nice, it's ultimately going to affect battery life, and for a screen so small, 4K isn't as noticeable as it would be on a larger display. In Summary Dell has done a great job creating and updating the 13-inch XPS. Not only is it thinner, lighter, and smaller than Apple's latest 13-inch MacBook Pro, but it's got a better keyboard, better display, and better sign-on tech. However, the 2018 MacBook Pro is much more powerful, with a better trackpad, much better speakers, better camera, the dedicated T2 chip, True Tone display and arguably better design. The choice you make will ultimately come down to what features you care about most. Although the operating system comes down to personal preference, almost everyone can admit that Windows 10 experiences a lot more issues and glitches compared to macOS, and to me, that's the most important factor of all. Where to buy The Dell XPS 13 9370 can be configured to your liking at Dell Home. At press time, the system qualifies for an additional $50 off with coupon code 50OFF699. B&H Photo also carries several configurations with instant discounts of up to $700 off MSRP. Apple's 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is also on sale with $50 off coupon code APINSIDER at Adorama. For step-by-step instructions on how to redeem the coupon, please see our how-to guide. https://goo.gl/iQ5bpr
0 notes
Last Seen Blogs
chkam
My Story
livetoto88
Live Toto 88
5mevsimbu
5.MeVsiM
one-of-a-kind-project
Conceptual shoes and other designs.
asianc0wboy
Vanessa