Pizza Yeti’s 2020 Top 5: Tech

Hey yall! To close off 2020, I wanted to recap on some of the things that helped me get through the year. This was honestly the hardest of my three recaps to narrow down.. I got a lot of new tech this year. If you didn’t see in any of my earlier articles, I won a grant from the 1000Dreams Fund to support some streaming upgrades, which helped me get some tech that I wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise. I was also blessed by my family, who gifted me some tech this year. But man, was it hard to pick just 5 things that helped me the most this year. This is my best attempt at it. If you want to see more of my desk, you can check out this YouTube video to see more!

5. Stream Deck

This was a piece of tech that I was really looking forward to. A couple of the streamers that I’ve met online have them and I’ve watched a lot of videos on Youtube on how to use them effectively and how to set them up for more than just streaming. While I can’t say that I use my Stream Deck to it’s fullest potential, I do really like having it. I use it to open programs and websites apart from just having it to set up my streams. I think the most useful thing I have for it is being able to open up the websites that I use most frequently.

Also, I’m still getting into the multi-action buttons, but those are dope. I have the 15-key version and I can say that it made my life easier with it’s capabilities. Also, I just got some Phillips Hue lights and it’s awesome that I can control them using my stream deck. This isn’t a necessity for content creation, so don’t feel like you have to rush out and get one if you’re just getting started, but I think that it’s worth the money it costs.

4. Headphones

Admittedly, I’m cheating a little on this one. I want to talk about 2 pairs of headphones that I got this year.

I was fortunate enough to pick up the SteelSeries Arctis 9 wireless gaming headphones this year. I upgraded from the Arctis 3s that I had for about a year and a half. I had been looking at the SteelSeries’ pro set, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to sink $330 into a pair of headphones that I was just going to use at my computer. When they announced the 9s, I was really excited. They run for about $200, though when I was looking at buying them, they had a deal that took 15% off the headphones. This was around the time that I was helping my dad build a deck for my grandpa, and so he ended up gifting me the headphones as thanks for helping him. I love these headphones, they are comfortable, even when wearing my glasses, they sound really good, and the fact that I can connect to Bluetooth at the same time as connecting wirelessly to my computer is amazing. I would definitely recommend these or the Logitech G733s. I had the chance to try out the G733s and they’re great, but I couldn’t wear them for more than 30 mins without getting a headache from the pressure they put on my glasses.

The second pair of headphones is the AfterShokz Aeropex open ear headphones. I just recently got these for Christmas, but I really love them already! They definitely take some getting used to because they don’t work like typical headphones. They sit on the bones right in front of your ears and use vibrations to transmit the sounds straight into your inner ear. This means that you’re still completely aware of your surroundings while listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks. They sound a lot better than I thought they would, but they already seem worth the price. The unboxing is also quite nice.

3. Pwnage Ultra Custom Ergo Wireless Mouse

I picked this mouse up during their Black Friday sale. What’s awesome about this mouse is that it has interchangeable faceplates. You don’t need any special tools to change them out, either. This mouse is my first ultra light wireless gaming mouse, and it definitely took some getting used to. I upgraded from a Razer Naga Chroma that I’ve had for years. This mouse has been more comfortable for me to use and I love that I can change out the colors whenever I want to fit the mood I’m in.

Their Black Friday deal let me pick up the mouse and all the different color faceplates for around $120, so I scooped that up as soon as I saw it. It’s been a worthwhile investment, and I’m excited to get into some games that will fully use it’s capabilities in 2021. I’d recommend it for sure. The mouse is light, comfortable, has a solid wireless connection, but you can also remove the batter and use it wired if you want it to be even lighter.

2. PC from WhiteBoxPC

I first started watching the WhiteBoxPC Twitch streams early this year. I don’t remember where I first heard about them, but I’m glad that I did. In June of this year, I was tired of dealing with the problems that comes with running a stream off a MacBook Pro. I had so many issues trying to get the stream to run well, and I was just over it. So I ordered a WhiteBoxPC and in August, I received my first ever gaming PC. I love it. This PC solved so many of the issues that I was having and opened up the world of PC gaming to me. Before this, I’d always been a console gamer, and to be fair, I haven’t left that life behind. But it’s wild just how many more games there are out there to play that run a lot better than they do on my Switch. I haven’t had any problems from Summit (what I named my PC) and I’m super thankful to have it.

If you’re looking for a PC and you want to support a small business, check out WhiteBoxPC. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

1. Uplift Standing Desk

This was the best purchase I made in 2020, hands down. Shoutout to that one and only stimulus check for helping me pay for it. Early this year, when I was laid off from my job, I knew that I was going to be spending a lot of time at my desk. I had wanted a standing desk for a long time and, when I got that stimulus check, I knew that it was time to pick one up. I went with the 60' desk from Uplift. It’s been amazing. I love having the option to stand and get work done when I feel like I’ve been sitting for too long. I know it’s helped me feel better throughout the day because I have that option and I’m so glad that I invested in it. If you’re looking into them, I would definitely recommend starting to save up for it. It’s worth it just to be able to take better care of your body!

Alright, that’s my top 5 pieces of tech from this year! Tech is something that I care a lot about. I love seeing the ways that people create new innovations and how people learn to use them in their lives. Streaming has allowed me the opportunity to try out and learn more about what I’m using in my life. I want to continue learning more and sharing that knowledge with other people, so keep your eyes out for me in 2021.

Honorable mentions for tech:

• Phillips Hue Lights: I just recently got these and they’re awesome. I can use my Stream Deck to control them and my office looks really cool now. They’re a bit of an investment, so I would recommend making sure you really want them before impulse buying them. I’ve really liked them so far, and I’ll continue learning about ways to use them in the coming months.
• Elgato Wave 3: I picked this up a couple months ago to replace my HyperX Quadcast mic. I loved that mic as well, but I wanted to check out the virtual mixer that comes with the Wave 3. I’ve been pretty happy with the mic so far. I think that it sounds good, the mixer works better for me than Voicemeeter did, and I like that it’s not covered in RGB lights. I’d recommend picking it up over most other USB mics right now because the Wave Link software makes it a worthwhile investment. I think you get more for your money with the Wave 3.

That’s it for my 2020 recaps! I hope that y’all have enjoyed them! It was nice for me to reflect on what I’ve experienced this year and what I’ve had the privilege to test out. I’m looking forward to 2021 and what it will bring. Let me know what tech you’ve appreciated this year in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter! I’m excited to see how we all grow in 2021 :D

Thank you for reading!