Stuff Magazine (Stuff Magazine)

Member Name: soundsexciting

Product:	Stuff Magazine
Date:	18/10/05 (505 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: one - stop place for advice on all the gadgets you need

Disadvantages: can go OTT with expensive gadgets, pictures of beautiful girls put off female readers

People who've read my reviews have probably figured out that I'm into gadgets. I tend to buy the best gadgets that are available within my price bracket and am often one of the first people to do so.

An important source of info for me is Stuff Magazine.
This magazine showcases the latest gadgets that have been released or are about to be released and covers anything that would traditionally be regarded as a boys toy.

In fact apart from my review of the microwave oven and the Micheal Crichton book, everything I've purchased (and subquently reviewed) first came to my attention via Stuff Magazine.

Because the magazine also gives you an idea of the trends in gadgets it also allows you to think ahead and plan for the future. Certainly in my case, one of the themes in my house is the introduction of Hard Drives and WiFi and general wirelessness to allow my different gadgets to communicate with each other. This planning was the direct result of articles, reviews and trend analysis from Stuff Magazine over the last 3 years.

The magazine itself is colourful and glossy. Each month it presents the results of 4 or 5 tests where they take a range of similar products and compare them with each other and rate them in terms of functionality, value for money etc. The rating is done objectively in my opinion. e.g. they do not automatically rate expensive gadgets as the best.

Articles that are about particular gadgets where a full comparison test has not been carried out are written by informed authors who tend to specialise in a given area. Each item that is reviewed is written about in detail often with full specifications and sometimes with comparisons with other rival devices. Often the item being reviewed is kept by the reviewer for several days so that they can get a good feel for its capabilities and flaws.

A great section at the end of the magazine 'the buyers guide' summarises the best of the gadgets talked about over recent months with a league table showing in order of preference their choice gadgets in any given field along with a rough price guide. e.g best mobiles, best DVD Players, best sports cars etc.

Every autumn around October Stuff hosts an exhibition London (Earls Court or Olympia) where the manufacturers of the gadgets showcased in their magazine over the last 12 months get a chance to show their 'stuff' directly to the public and in some cases give them an opportunity to buy their products at a discount or with freebees. I puchased a FUJI camera a few years ago like this and saved almost £100.

The only problem in my opinion is that they sometimes go over the top and review items that are simply too expensive for the average reader. e.g a £16000 TV!!. Whilst its great to read about these products it does make one somewhat depressed :)

Anyone serious about what gadgets they buy should take a look at this magazine. At the very least it will arm you with all sorts of facts about products so that when you go shopping in Dixons/Currys/PC World you know at least as much as the salespeople and most often you will know considerably more.

Summary: The definitive gadget magazine