Ugreen 65W Triple USB-C Plus USB-A Charger
The Ugreen 65W GaN charger packs three USB-C ports with PD 3 and one USB-A with QC 4. It comes in EU and UK plug versions, with the UK oddly cheaper at S$39.99 versus the EU's S$44.99.
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OEM Apple AirPods Max Silicone Cover
The AirPods Max's anodised aluminium cups scratch easily, and once marked they're hard to unsee. So I grabbed an OEM silicone cover from Shopee for S$3.19. It fits well and comes in five colours.
Baseus 65W GaN Dual USB-C Plus USB-A Charger
The Baseus 65W GaN charger has two USB-C ports and one USB-A. Its Lazada listing is full of dubious buzzwords like GaN2 and PD4, but in reality it's the usual Power Delivery 3 and Quick Charge 4 charger.
Baseus 20W USB-C PD Charger
Alongside the Ugreen and Apple 20W chargers, the Baseus 20W USB-C PD Charger is the cheapest option at just S$10.99. It supports the usual PD 3 and QC 4, and features Baseus's 'Super Si' silicon tech.
OEM Portable Laptop Stand
I bought this OEM Portable Laptop Stand from Lazada for S$14.50 during the 4/4 sale. It comes in two variants: a cheaper plastic P1 Pro and the aluminium N3, each in three colours.
Installing Ubuntu Server On Synology NAS
A step-by-step guide to installing Ubuntu Server on a Synology NAS. You download the roughly 1GB Ubuntu Server ISO, install Virtual Machine Manager from Package Center, and create a virtual machine from the image.
Apple HomePod Mini
Since the Apple HomePod Mini isn't officially sold in Singapore, I bought mine from a Shopee shop, monmartechnology. Priced at S$155 in black or white, a CitiBank voucher brought it down to S$145.
Synology SNV3000 Series NVMe M.2 SSD
Synology has long made its own RAM, and later branched into its own M.2 NVMe (SNV3000), SATA SSDs, and HDDs. The main reason is compatibility: these drives are optimised with custom firmware for Synology NAS.
Happy 37th Birthday To Me
My 37th birthday, celebrated jointly with my brother, whose birthday falls just four days after mine. We dined with family at JAAN by Kirk Westaway, a one-Michelin-star restaurant atop Swissôtel The Stamford in Singapore.
Synology DDR4 RAM (ECC)
Following up on last June's Synology DDR4 RAM post, the 21-series launch added two ECC SO-DIMMs, the D4ES01-4G and D4ES01-8G. Notably, Synology dropped the '2666' from the naming of these newer D4ES01 modules.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Hard Storage Case
After dismantling my slow USB 2.0 Western Digital enclosures to reuse the bare drives at faster speeds, I needed somewhere safe to store them. To my surprise, dedicated hard-shell HDD storage cases exist for exactly this purpose.
Synology DiskStation DS1621+ Review
I upgraded my three-year-old 4-bay Synology DS918+ to the 6-bay DS1621+, which Synology refreshed late last year from the DS1618+. The DS1621+ retails for S$1,244 and gives me more room to grow my storage.
OEM Apple AirPods Max Case
The Smart Case bundled with the AirPods Max barely protects the headphones, so I sought a proper carrying case. I picked the cheapest well-rated OEM option on Shopee, a hard EVA shell case for S$15.19 that fits perfectly.
Linksys Velop MX4200 Wi-Fi 6 Mesh Router
The Linksys Velop MX4200 is the brand's second Wi-Fi 6 mesh router after the MX5300 I reviewed. Despite the lower model number, it's not really inferior, and the two are physically indistinguishable in looks and dimensions.
Apple AirPods Max
My birthday came early when my brother generously gifted me the Apple AirPods Max in the flagship Blue. Retailing for S$849, he ordered it expecting a 6-7 week wait, yet it arrived within one week.
ORIA Digital Hygrometer Thermometer Display
I picked up the ORIA Digital Hygrometer Thermometer Display during a Lazada flash sale for S$9.20. It reads temperatures from -10 to 50°C and humidity from 10% to 99%, running on two AAA batteries.
OEM Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) Replacement Tip
I dropped my Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) tip-first, snapping the tip and leaving part stuck inside. After extracting it, I needed a replacement. Apple's tips come four to a S$28 pack, more than I need.
Ugreen 65W Dual USB-C Charger
I'd waited months for the Ugreen 65W GaN Dual USB-C Charger, which kept selling out. At S$34.19, it weighs 145g, about 1.5 times the size of Ugreen's 20W charger, with two USB-C ports of differing maximum output.
Ugreen USB 3.0 Extension Cable
I needed a USB extension to run from my Aeotec smart switch's port, powering a Xiaomi USB fan for Li Xiang's plants. Ugreen offers USB 2.0 and 3.0 versions in lengths up to 5m.
UNI-T Mini Light Meter (UT383)
UNI-T has become my go-to brand for cheap meters, after the sound-level meter I got in 2020. I bought the UNI-T Mini Light Meter (UT383) from Lazada for S$18.90, supporting both Lux and Foot Candle readings.
Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100 Electric Toothbrush
After nearly three years, my Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart toothbrush died, refusing to power on despite charging. Rather than replace like-for-like, I opted for the cheaper Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 5100 as my new electric toothbrush.
ASUSTOR Lockerstor 4 (AS6604T) Review
Synology, QNAP, and ASUSTOR are my three top-of-mind NAS brands, all Taiwanese. To complete the trilogy, I review the Asustor Lockerstor 4 (AS6604T), a 4-bay NAS on par with the DS920+ and TS-453D, powered by an Intel J4125.