Hardware Reviews - does the packaging really matter?

[scaryjim]

Right and the article that I wrote wasn't brief regarding the packaging?

mishima - we cross posted, I wasn't commenting on your article or your post, just making a general observation.

I think you could have been briefer if you were writing from your own point of view, but if that's what the manufacturers expect you to write then fair enough. From my own point of view, if I'm researching a product online then I'm looking for information about the product. The fact that the information is on the packaging is irrelevant to me, because I don't have the packaging to read! So rather than saying "In the top left hand corner there is a small label marked “open”. Opening this panel reveals two-pages of in depth information regarding the technologies and methods used in the implementation of this fan." I would say "A fold out panel provides in-depth technological information." See... briefer

[Main]

I like having photographs of the bundle and the like, maybe a note in the review accompanying it, but I don't see much point in this sort of thing beyond saying "it has funky packaging" and moving on to the next point. The only time it deserves more than that is if it's very different from the competition.

It would also be nice if during CPU reviews the reviewers could even be bothered in most cases to take a picture of the CPU cooler itself.

This will be useful for people to know the size of the cooler and whether they need to get a different one or not.

That's my major hate of most reviews, almost complete lack of one of the most obvious requirements - physical dimensions.

Of course a big part of the blame can side with the 9 out of 10 manufacturers who don't give you them on their product specifications to begin with.

[aidanjt]

When I see extensive detail packaging review, I think tl;dr. All I'm interested in is the pacakge contents (and sometimes that's skipped over), and the actual product. The packaging gets tossed out pretty much after installation and I never see it again.

Perhaps it may be noteworthy to meantion the packaging if it's easily recyclable or something. But other than that, snore.

[Grey M@a]

I am down with this, I just watched a review on the new razer mamba wifi mouse and the guy spent 10 minutes on the video review discussing the box, who the hell cares. Can I use the box with the PC, don't think so. Some reviewers do need to get to the point.

[peterb]

I've just read the fan review extract that scaryjim quoted - which refers tio the fan's frame colour.

It would be a great comfort to me to know that this fan in question is in the brand maroon and beige - when it is tucked in the dark recesses of my computer! (Personally I find the Noctura fan colours rather sickly - however.....) </irony mode>

On a serious note though, that review is typical of a conversational style, and the reviwer is describing a retail product as if you were going into a shop to buy it. It isn't a technical report as such - if it was it would be shorter, describe the mounting arrangements, size, voltage and current, air flow rate, noise, stalled current and iother parameters that affect its functional performance as a fan.

But in the context of the type of review, I don't really have a problem with it - and the colour of the frame wouldn't influence me one way or the other - so long as it's black! (and doesn't have LEDS!)