Review of the MSI MEGA 180

By Ian Bell Updated June 13, 2004

Quote from the review at Whining Dog:

“The MSI MEGA 180 is an improvement over the original MEGA system but MSI still has work cut out for itself. If you can accept the flawed remote control and bundled software, then the MEGA 180 has all the makings for a good small form factor PC. However, good looks aside, this system ultimately needs further improvements to make it worthy of consideration by the home media enthusiast.”

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Quote from the review at Trusted Reviews:

“Purchasing a pre-built machine like the Encore 3107 saves all the building hassle and Systemax has put together a quality package at a very good price. The MEGA 180 barebone chassis comes with an nForce2 based motherboard and Systemax has fitted a 2800+ AMD Athlon XP processor and 512MB of PC3200 DDR SDRAM to the mix. This makes it a reasonable spec PC without driving up the price too much.”

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Computing

This HP Chromebook is discounted from $290 to $180 for Prime Day

The 2022 release of the HP Chromebook 14a, with apps on the screen.

Are this year's Prime Day laptop deals not that exciting for you? If you still need a new device but you're on a tight budget, you may want to look at the HP Chromebook 14a, which is available from Amazon for just $180 following a $110 discount on its original price of $290. It's not going to blow you away with its specifications, but it's a dependable device that will accompany you through each day. You're going to have to make the purchase as soon as you can if you're interested though, as we're not sure if the offer will remain available until the end of Prime Day deals.

Why you should buy the HP Chromebook 14a
Our Chromebook versus laptop comparison says Chromebooks are great for daily use, including functions like checking email, browsing social media, and typing documents. Like the best Chromebooks, these are the kinds of tasks that the HP Chromebook 14a won't have a problem dealing with. The device is powered by the Intel Celeron N4120 processor, ‎Intel UHD Graphics 600, and 4GB of RAM -- it doesn't look like much, but with Google's Chrome OS relying on web-based apps from the Google Play Store instead of installed software, it's more than enough.

Computing

HP Prime Day sale brings cheap laptops, starting at $180

The HP 15 laptop on a table.

If you're considering buying a laptop from Amazon's Prime Day deals, you may also want to check out HP's Black Friday in July sale for huge discounts on dependable devices. The HP laptops that are on sale range from basic notebooks to high-end machines, so there's surely something for everyone, even those who are on a budget because prices start at $180. You're going to have to be quick with your purchases though, because both time and stocks are running out for these offers.

The cheapest laptop that you can buy from HP right now is called a Chromebook because it's powered by Google's Chrome OS. The HP Chromebook 11a, which is from its original price of $260, is equipped with the MediaTek MT8183 processor, MediaTek integrated graphics, and 4GB of RAM -- these may not look like much, but this device with an 11.6-inch HD screen still runs smoothly because Chrome OS uses web-based apps instead of installed software. If you prefer a Windows 11 Home-powered laptop, check out the HP Laptop 14t and its Intel Celeron N4500 processor, Intel UHD Graphics, and 8GB of RAM. It's also got a 14-inch HD screen and a 128GB SSD, all for instead of $450.

Computing

This MSI gaming laptop with an RTX 3060 is $600 off for Prime Day

Two MSI Stealth 15M gaming laptops over a white background.

Some of the best gaming laptops are thin and light; the MSI Stealth 15M certainly falls on that list. Of course, that does tend to come at a price, but luckily the Amazon Prime Day deals floating around right now include a great deal that lets you get it for 43% off. Interestingly, this deal comes from the Walmart Prime Day sale, which lets you grab the MSI Stealth 15M for just $799, rather than the usual $1,399; that's a pretty substantial discount and well worth buying. Just keep in mind that this deal is only available for Walmart+ subscribers. However, luckily, you can grab a one-month subscription or go for the if you use Walmart regularly.

Why you should buy the MSI Stealth 15M
The MSI Stealth 15M shares a lot with the MSI Stealth GS66, including the 0.63-inch thickness and minimalistic design that doesn't give off gaming laptop vibes, which can be off-putting to use in a work environment. As for gaming, you get the excellent RTX 3060, a mid-range GPU that should handle most games relatively well in medium to high settings and 100+ frames. It should handle Elden Ring and Diablo 4 relatively well, although, much like all gaming PCs these days, it will struggle with Cyberpunk 2077. Luckily the 15.6-inch FHD resolution won't stress the GPU too much, and the 144Hz refresh rate is excellent if you're aiming for the big free-to-play games like Fortnite, where higher framerates matter.