Hooked Up - NewerTech 11-Piece Toolkit

Written by Dan Keener on 2/19/2009 for AV  

Welcome to Hooked Up, the Gaming Nexus series that puts the spotlight on gaming related products that impact the Video Game experience. This week we take a look at NewerTech’s 11-piece Computer Tool Kit.


What is it?
The NewerTech 11 Piece Portable Toolkit provides a centralized location for the tools needed to work on changing out PC components, iPods and other devices. It features seven screwdrivers, tweezers, hemostat and two pry tools for iPods, all stored in a nylon carrying case.


Impressions
This is a very good toolkit to have at your disposal for doing and sort of job around computers or otherwise. I had to do a memory upgrade to a laptop over the Holiday break, and it was a nice feeling to have everything I needed zipped up tight in the little case. The two biggest pluses in my mind were the inclusion of the oversized tweezers and a hemostat (surgical clamp.) Both are invaluable when working in tight places, especially if you need to get deep into an area or behind something.

The tools themselves seem sturdy enough and up for the tasks (albeit delicate ones) of working with PC and electronic components. The tips of all the screwdrivers are coated in some sort of magnetic material, so they can easily pick up or hold a screw in place while working. I would advice using any of these to do anything besides screw and unscrew, because the coating will wear off eventually.

While the case layout is good (with everything in its own location) the only negative I found about the kit was with the interior construction, specifically the foam used to separate the tools. Unfortunately, the foam did not always hold the tools in place once they were used for the first time. It is designed to work best when all the tools are in their place and use force to hold everything together. As tools are removed and replaced, the padding moves around and some tools are not as securely held as they once were. While this is not a big deal, it is a bit of an annoyance.


Gaming Impact
With the way the component market for PC is constantly evolving, most do-it-yourself gamers are probably upgrading several times a year and for those of us that have built or maintain our own PC’s, a toolkit like this is invaluable. Having all the screwdrivers and an extra-large tweezers readily available in one place is much better than hunting through toolboxes for the 3-4 items you might need to complete the job. I can’t tell you how many times I have dropped a screw inside a PC case, or the one time I had one get away from me inside a laptop I was adding memory to. The tools in this kit would have saved me some serious aggravation and grief.


The Skinny
The NewerTech 11 piece toolkit is a must have for PC gamers that are constantly modifying and upgrading their PC components or building machines. While the interior of the case may give you a few headaches with tools rolling around, the fact that what you needs is there and ready to roll overcomes that issue in my mind. As the old saying goes, anyone can do anything as long as they have the right tools at their disposal. The NewerTech 11-piece Portable Toolkit provides you just about everything you will need for most PC upgrades.


Where to Find/Buy
The NewerTech 11 Piece Computer Tool Kit can be found at the NewerTech website . In addition, it can also be found at numerous online retailers.

If you have a gaming related product or accessory that you would like to see featured in Hooked Up, please contact the Author regarding inclusion.