When it comes to gaming or just making it through the harsh reality of life, everyone looks for something to pick them up. For many Americans, the typical go-to are sodas, coffee, and energy drinks.

For years, I predominately relied on soda, specifically Mountain Dew to get through the day. Typically, a single two-liter would last through the day, however, after years of doing that, there came a need for something stronger; even 2 one liters of Mountain Dew did not give enough kick.

Although energy drinks such as Monster, Rockstar, and Redbull were around, the taste of the three was off-putting. Yes, they gave me the energy that I needed but the taste or smell typically would have me use them on rare occasions; these occasions were typically when a paper or project was due. It wasn’t until after college that energy drinks became a staple in my diet for better or worse.

Thankfully, I have only had a few kidney stones but that was predominately due to the mass intake of soda and lack of water. With consuming at least four energy drinks each week, I have kept an eye out for the most healthy option or the one that would give me the most energy. Sadly, just like anything else you consume in bulk or regularly, the effects have started to minimalize.

When Nerd Focus reached out to us, I was asked if I wanted to review two of their products; as a regular energy drink consumer, we thought I’d be the most qualified. Sadly, the product to review came right after getting sick so there has been a delay in our review. Nerd Focus sent their Nerd original and Nerd Zero Calorie energy drink to review.

Nerd Focus
Creator – Nerd Focus
Price: 28.50 for 12 pack

Nerd Focus Product Review

Smell

Before tasting the Nerd Focus energy drinks, we wanted to make sure they passed the smell test. Both drinks passed the smell test but the Original flavor smelled more fruity than the Zero Calorie one.

Additionally, we tried pouring the drinks into cups to see how they would smell with and without ice. When the drinks were in the cups alone they held their scent though less potent; however, when the drinks were poured into a cup with ice, the smell of each drink dissipated or became minimal.

Look

With the smell test passed, we moved on to reviewing the visual aspects of the can. The can is rather slender similar to a red bull can but has a darker presentation than its competitors. The brand logo stands out but doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

The logo reminds us of either Ed from Cowboy Bebop or a mad scientist after an experiment. Keep with the brand, the logo does fall along the smart energy motto. When you compare the 12 oz can to a 16 oz Monster can, it feels like you are getting less despite the 40z difference.

Taste

After examining the cans’ design and branding, we decided to move on to the actual taste test. For this portion of the review, we brought in a few others to help us. Out of five people, four of us enjoyed the taste of the Original Green Nerd Focus. The person that did not like the taste said it lacked a defining and memorable taste and after thinking about it, they were right.

Yes, Original Green has a fruity flavor, but it doesn’t have a unique flavor profile that makes it stand out from its competitors. If you were to do a taste test between different energy drinks you wouldn’t be able to pinpoint the Nerd Focus one. This isn’t to say it’s bad but just saying that it lacks personality.

When it came to reviewing the Blue Zero Calorie Nerd Focus, only one out of the five enjoyed drinking it. The biggest complaint was that the Zero Calories one tasted like it had Aspartame in it. The user who did enjoy the drink is diabetic and is used to other drinks lacking flavor; he felt that it had a decent flavor and could be a good energy drink for those with similar dietary constrictions.

For those who said nay to it, the Aspartame taste overpowered anything else within the drink. We all consumed it a lot slower than its original counterpart. So, it passed the smell test but did not pass the taste test even with ice added.

Effects

Out of the five users, each one experienced a different effect. Despite liking the taste of the original, three out of the five said that they felt like they had the same level of energy or focus as they did before. As for myself and the others, it gave me a different feeling.

Typically, when I consumed either the Original or the Zero Calorie one, it seemed to level me out to feeling normal. Now, this could have also been achieved by drinking water or eating. Typically, an energy drink is one of the first things I consume in the day. At no point did it feel like I had an abundance of energy or focus.

For the product review, I tested this on an empty stomach, full stomach, hydrated, and dehydrated, and even with alcohol. Despite changing when the drink was consumed, it made very little difference. As for our other testers, our caffeine-sensitive tester was able to go to sleep a few hours after drinking one; the only side effect they noted was that they felt hungover when they woke up.

The diabetic tester felt like he had more energy for the first three hours after drinking it but noted that he felt normal afterward – he then would have a craving to hydrate. The four tester stated that he felt no different but did feel hungry and had an increased appetite.

Finally, the last tester (Bugman) stated that they were able to get through their nine-hour shift at work with ease thanks to it. So, each of us had a different reaction to the drink that wasn’t based on our general consumption of energy drinks.

Both the one who worked a 9-hour shift and I drink energy drinks on a regular basis but had different reactions. Now, with me being sick, the drink very easily could have been battling my body to give me the energy I needed to make it through the day.

The Diabetic King enjoyed it but felt like it didn’t have a long-lasting impact. Kira said that the original was fine but he wouldn’t go out of his way to drink it again. Finally, the Caffeine sensitive one, Red, felt that it could give them the energy they needed without feeling jittery and still be able to go to sleep when needed.

Verdict

Before sharing with you the ingredients that Nerd Focus uses, we decided to share our product review thoughts with you. As a regular consumer of energy drinks, Nerd Focus will not become a staple in my regular lineup of drinks; if it is available, I will not turn it down, but it is not one I’d go out of my way to get like the Monster White Pineapple, the Bang Blue Raspberry or Sour Apple, or the Mountain Dew Pitch Black.

Now, this isn’t to say that it is a bad product, it just isn’t for me. Out of the five who tasted and drank both the original and calorie-free one, three said they would recommend the original to others and drink it again. The Calorie free one was by far the least favorite with only one saying that they liked it and would recommend it. At the end of the day, it comes down to personal taste, the body’s tolerance, and even price point.

A case of 12 Original or 12 Calorie-free costs $28.50 through Nerd Focus’s site, and on Amazon for around 26 through Nerd Focus’ Amazon store. When you compare Nerd Focus’ price to its competitors, it is one of the least expensive options if you buy energy drinks individually. When you compare it to what you can buy in bulk, it is more expensive. A 24-pack of Monster can be purchased for $36.78 or 1.53 per can compared to Nerd Focus 2.17 per can.

If you are in the market to try something new, it would be worth trying Nerd Focus, but again, it will not be one that is in our weekly lineup.

About Nerd Focus

Nerd Focus states that they use HUPERZINE-A, GINKGO BILOBA, ALPHA-GPC, DMAE, and GABA as their primary ingredients. According to Nerd Focus, this is what each one does:

• HUPERZINE-A – Helps maintain proper mental focus, memory function and slows the breakdown of acetylcholine. Acetycholine plays a vital role in cognitive function of the mind by enabling the delivery of messages from neuron to neuron in your brain.
• GINKGO BILOBA – Ginkgo Biloba is known to support mental acuity and memory because of its positive effects on the vascular system, especially in the cerebellum.
• ALPHA-GPC – A compound made up of choline and glycerophosphate with neuroprotective activity, Alpha-GPC has been shown to significantly support cognitive abilities, learning, and memory.
• DMAE – DMAE is a biochemical precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Users report better memory as well as improved focus, and mental clarity.
• GABA – An amino acid produced naturally in the brain, GABA functions as a neurotransmitter, facilitating communication among brain cells and aiding with stress relief, focus, and mental clarity.

Each can contains 128mg of Caffeine. When you compare it to Monster Ultra Sunshine at 155mg per 16 oz can, it seems on par with the 4.0 oz difference. Marketed as the original “Think Drink”, Nerd Focus contains vitamins B2, B3, B6, and B12 providing energy without Taurine.

Supplement facts

A 12-pack of Original Nerd Focus and a 12-pack of Calorie Free Nerd Focus were provided for review purposes. You can find additional information about Niche Gamer’s review/ethics policy here.