Best Buy's HP TouchSmart #AMDFX APU Processor Was Designed With Gamers Like Me In Mind

This #AMDFX reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Momma Told Me: Soon you'll be a video game character!

When I was a little girl, my parents were just starting their life together and, we lived in a small 2 bedroom condo. As far back as I can remember Pop was always fascinated by modern electronics, especially those consumers could own and bring into their home. We were early adopters and though we didn't have room for an office, Momma knew how important it was for my Pop to have a recreation space all his own. In our dining room (which was really just the other open half of our living room) sat a giant oak scroll-top desk with a massive computer monitor inside it. The desk, which still sits in my father's home today, not long after had a smaller version placed directly beside it at my demand.

Much to Momma's dismay, once I was old enough to move from Pop's lap to my own computer desk, I quickly adopted the gaming interests of my father. We played Monkey Island, DOOM, HEX, Myst, and pretty much anything we could dual screen or server share on. You might even say these extended interactions on my Pop's 'team' even made me favor PC gaming over the emerging console trend, as I grew up.

As you know I went to college to work towards a degree in Game Arts and Design fueled by the memories of late night co-op missions and many anti social hours spent on the SIMS in high school. Unfortunately, the past 10 years haven't left me much time to follow my passion of gaming. It turns out going to school, and working 3 jobs to pay off said school (loans,) is quite time consuming and exhausting. The last thing I had time for was clock out of my management job and into another managing role as a raid leader. Thankfully, I've grown, and I've found my own financial stability- which has enabled me to resume my favorite PC MMORPG game, World Of Warcraft. And boy have I ever resumed it- in about a year I have logged over 40 days of cumulative time logged into my server and toon (character!)

Serious gamers need serious gaming PCs. They demand a device that can handle extended, continual, use and extreme multitasking, as well as one that's versatile enough to keep up with the latest graphics cards, peripheral devices and communication accessories. I own multiple computers- a very expensive and advanced desktop for photo editing and image manipulation/web design, a gaming device strictly for the extended hours spent logged into WOW (World of Warcraft) servers- with very specific specification and device modifications for optimal communication and in game use, and a 'thrasher' laptop meant to keep me connected and (for the most part) working during travel and on the go. Unfortunately, my gaming laptop recently bit the big one and I've been logging some serious hours on a device that is not intended for intense graphics and network processing, let alone the online communication needed for live chat.

When I log on to my gaming platform (which right now is 24/7 as a background process on a thrasher computer) I also run a game add-on client and TeamSpeak (online chat) application, as well as several browser tabs of game guides and references. The add on client is essentially patching my game to modify it's interface appearance and operation WHILE I am using the game, so the PC is essentially processing the functions of 2 games simultaneously- and this isn't your Momma's 8 bit Atari, folks! I often experience crashing and lags regularly, which can really annoy the people I'm playing with. It's clearly time for me to replace my old gaming PC with a new dedicated device.

In our household we like to invest in compatible products, that means printers, tablets, laptops, and desktops that all made by the same parent brand, which so happens to be HP. We recently upgraded our old HP printer to an Envy- and have been blown away with how easy it communicates with and interfaces with our other household HP devices. Naturally, the HP #AMDFX special edition SPU ENVY TouchSmart 15.6" laptop is at the of my list for potential gaming PC replacements.

Featuring AMD's most powerful mobile processor the new FX APU powered notebook delivers the processing power of 10 computer cores for lightening fast, responsive multitasking and productivity.
The AMD FX Special Edition APU 15.5" HP ENVY TouchSmart laptop is exclusively available through Best Buy, where I know I can get a hands on try before you buy experience guided by knowledgeable staff, free of commission. We are already planning our visit to the Best Buy showroom where we'll get to put the audio and video processing (necessary for elite gaming) to the test. Of course if you can't quite make it into the store to check out this amazing gaming and multitasking PC in person, you can also take advantage of free shipping on order $35, year-round at Best Buy.com.

Of course you don't have to partake in PC gaming to find the value in this Best Buy exclusive laptop- The AMD FX APU processor is a must have for anyone who does extensive graphics or video editing, or heavily entertainment streaming! Who in your home would get the most use out of having an HP laptop with AMD's most powerful mobile processor inside? Would they be gaming? Streaming? Creating?

What Daughter Says: The only thing silly about gaming is time wasted trying to actually play a game. Upgrade your PC today to stay connected and make the most of your time logged in.

 

Do You Have The #GreatestGrad? @BestBuy Has The Greatest Gifts!

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Momma Told Me: The end of one journey begins another.


I graduated at 16. I was the youngest of my class and , by far, the one with the least direction moving forward. I had graduated early an with accolades but hardly had any idea what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. At the time Art School seemed like a fitting rebellion against the studies I had been subject to the previous 12 years. I recall, even in 'my time' graduation wasn't quite what it is today. Our school gathered on the football field and all 256 of my graduating class marched across a very shaky and old stage set with a podium. My parents had recently filed for divorce, and neither side could quite agree who would be present in the face of the other, so my support group was much smaller than those of my friends. To me, the whole ordeal was a non-event.

Today it seems that even Kindergarten matriculation is being called graduation- children who spent the last year learning to finger-paint get caps and a ceremony with a certificate. As adorable as that is, it kind of stains the importance and celebration of someone who has stuck out all of their K-12 years and made plans to further their future with job training or a secondary education. Let's face it, no matter your age, graduation is a bit scary. Whether you're leaving high school for a University, or leaving college to, well, pay off those school loans, graduation marks the turning of a stage in one's life. It should be celebrated.

Just two years back my youngest cousin finished her final year of private school and began an engineering degree that to this day makes my head spin. We hosted a big celebration and a mountain of gifts were bestowed upon her, in addition to a box full of cards with cash. Graduates have expenses, yes, but most grads won't be tempted to turn those checks into valuable assets (pizza and beer here they come!) I buy many of my yearly gifts at Best Buy, there simply is no other place with the hottest tech and media products and an reassuring Price Match Guarantee. Best Buy even has a great Gifts For Grads Guide to help you determine your grads needs (Fitness Fanatic, Networker, or Moving Out) and match them with a valuable gift that will aid them on their journey ahead.

A close friend of our family has a daughter heading off to college this fall who will not only be Moving Out for the first time, but is also always connected with her friends across the nation, and her family in Mexico. As a big Networker she needs reliable technology that will keep her connected to her WiFi network while about campus and away from her dorm, as well as powerful chargers and battery packs to keep her devices running. Her mother didn't even know such things existed until I pulled up the Mophie 32GB Space Pack Case and Charger, perfect for storing data an charging her daughter's iPhone 5. This unique case is essentially an expansion pack for your smartphone, and the perfect way for new grads to keep track of all those meticulous notes (or meticulous blackmail photos) and keep their phone charged when out at a long day full of classes.

Just check out some of the other great finds for the Networker Grad, at Best Buy:

• iPhone 5s
• Lenovo Yoga 2 13" Touch-Screen Laptop
• SONOS Play:1 Wireless Speaker for Streaming Music
• SanDisk Connect 32GB USB 2.0 Wireless Flash Drive
• Google Chromecast
• iTunes Gift Card $50
• Jawbone MINI Jambox Wireless Speaker
• Surface 2 64GB AT&T 4G LTE
• Surface Keyboard Cover
• Samsung S-View Flip Cover for Note 3
• Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB External USB Portable Hard Drive
• Linksys Smart Wi-Fi Dual-Band Wireless-AC Router
• Speck CandyShell Cell Phone Case

If you're like me, you might be attending several graduation ceremonies over the coming weeks; some of which for friends of the family or lost cousins you really don't know too well. Don't worry, Best Buy still has you covered with a complete range of grad gifts under $50. Consider gifting and iTunes gift card in the denomination that fits your budget, or a Mr. Coffee 12 Cup Maker for all those late nights spend studying. The best thing about buying Grad gifts at Best Buy is that your grad is sure to love their gift, or have a blast exchanging it at their local store for something that fits them even better. Don't let the grads in your life go tech hungry, let Best Buy help lead the way to a well connected future with the hottest gifts for grads this season!

What Daughter Says: Start your grad on the right foot with a gift that will guide them on their journey ahead.

You May Have The #GreatestDad, But @BestBuy Has The Greatest Gifts! #Ad

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Momma Told Me: Just get him a Best Buy Gift Card!

This time of the year is always a panic for me. Beginning May 30, with my Aunt's birthday, and rolling right through the end of August, with my own birthday and 5 others' of family and friends in the same week; it's a logistical nightmare. I'll be honest, in my family, we tend to 'bundle' gifts. The perfect example is my father, who's birthday is June 11, just 4 days prior the the June 15th deadline of Father's Day this year. I'll usually end up buying a more expensive gift and rolling them into a gift for both holidays. But that doesn't mean my gifting woes end there and I can happily move on to the next event in my family. You see, when it comes to my father, I'm the closest relative; which means I get calls from all over the country, starting in May. Everyone wants to know what my Pop has been eying at the electronics store, or the hottest gadget he's been saving up for.

There are many types of dad's when it comes to technology and electronics; some are Fitness Fanatics, who are always on the run and can never have enough heart-rate monitors or step-tracking apps, while others are Memory Makers who are the first to bust out the video camera at a family gathering and print that baseball schedule for Jr's little league. My dad, he's a Gizmo Guru. Before home computer's were 'cool' we had a little IBM that could with a green pix-elated 8bit monstrosity of a computer screen, and were one of the first families to BETA the original America Online. I have vivid memories, growing up, of being drug through store after store hunting for the latest appliances, and computer upgrades. For several years we'd even plan a family trip to Best Buy every other weekend, after our Sunday Chinese dinner.

So it won't surprise you that I shop for many of my own electronic investments and gifts at Best Buy, still, today. Our local store has what I consider the ultimate playground showroom for the hottest home theater technology and gizmo gadgets. This Father's Day I'll be shopping for the right gift for my father, and his father (who's birthday happens to also be in June) with the easy to navigate gift center online, where I can browse gift ideas by price range or personality type. I can even take advantage of free shipping on qualified orders, to help save money and time. I wasn't surprised at all to see the Lenovo Yoga 2 make the top of the list for Gizmo Guru dad's. I've actually been saving up to get this 2-In-1 Touch-Screen Laptop ever since I bestowed Momma with a brand new tablet last Christmas. My father has helped finance several of my computers, from the very first one he built custom for me in grade-school, to my new Dell XPS last month (when my old PC started smoking.)

Buying a laptop for my father would be a wonderful gesture, but it's financially going to have to wait, for this secret elf, until Christmas. I've been grateful for the more budget friendly Father's Day gift ideas that will work better for all the relatives and friends also looking to gift my father. For just under $50 the new Roku Streaming HDMI Stick and Modal Bluetooth Speaker make a perfect match for my dad, who's always streaming his favorite shows or radio stations. For a little bit more, but still under $100, my grandmother can invest in the TARGUS top-load laptop bag that is airline friendly for my father's next trip Back East, this Winter. The possibilities are endless, but it's nice to have several great ideas for my Gizmo Guru father all in one convenient place with a low price-gaurantee!

What type of persona is your dad, Gizmo Guru, Fitness Fanatic, Entertainer, or Memory Maker?

What Daughter Says: Find a gift that's a little more personal with gifts under $100, and the perfect gift for any type of dad, at Best Buy.