MSI Computer Corp. Notebook Computer GT70 0ND-219US;9S7-176212-219 17.3-Inch Laptop

PROS: Awesome as advertised! Specs and possibly even the parts blow away most high(er)-end laptops in its class...can't beat it for the price. Was debating this over the Samsung Series 7 Gamer with similar specs and both had similar reviews but MSI performed where it counted the most. Better battery, better cooling, mostly better benchmark tests. A big deciding factor for me was that the older MSI GT70 with GTX660/670 still outperformed and outfeatured the Samsung Series 7 Gamer in most of the benchmarking tests...and this next upgrade to MSI GT70 was only $1850 when I bought it...$30 more that the Samsung at the time.

CONS: My only down was with GPU drivers not the actual laptop itself. I think the drivers are so new not even the supposed "BETA" drivers will work with it. It was almost impossible to find the GTX 675m drivers. NVIDIA recommended I get the drivers from the manufacturer's site. And from what I've found there is only one that works and it is on MSI's website. For some reason when I first looked, MSI, didn't have a "notebook" category in their drivers section. It's not even on NVIDIA's site (this had nothing to do with NVIDIA's forums going down, I checked before there forums got hacked).

My reason for purchase.....

First off, I wanted to get this off my chest because I was planning to build a workstation PC (or a powerful PC) but instead switched to getting a laptop. Being that I'm not a laptop fan, I did extensive weeks of research to find the best laptop I could find for my 3d art/animation and gaming needs. Laptop have always been way overpriced and notebook parts can't even touch the PC counterpart; in terms of performance, cooling, etc. Plus, knowing that this an MSI, helped make my decision because they have a good track record of excellent PC parts. I have been building my own desktop PC's for over 10 years and know you get to enjoy the games and 3d applications the way it was meant to be. Also, I'm in the video game development field and needed a second/backup computer/desktop replacement. My current Intel Q9550/Radeon 5700 1GB/ 8GB DDR2 RAM desktop does the JOB but is getting ancient. I was really thinking about getting a workstation or high-end gaming desktop (which would obviously be way cheaper than the most expensive laptop) but after thinking about it, I liked the idea of having the convenience and portability. And, if my desktop goes belly up one day (as it has been acting up) my work flow pipeline won't take a hit. I wont have to deal with the inconvenience of being in a HOT room with 1000W powersupply... even with air conditioning.

Bought it for my son. the graphics and memory is good for a gaming computer. the keyboard lights up great like a dashboard in some of the cars today. We only have it a month, so far so good.

Buy MSI Computer Corp. Notebook Computer GT70 0ND-219US;9S7-176212-219 17.3-Inch Laptop Now

I like the machine, just had a few issues to deal with on getting used to it. It is different then used to

Read Best Reviews of MSI Computer Corp. Notebook Computer GT70 0ND-219US;9S7-176212-219 17.3-Inch Laptop Here

I got my laptop from tegra tech and it came with a backpack and a mouse the laptop works well I would get this one again if I had the chance

Want MSI Computer Corp. Notebook Computer GT70 0ND-219US;9S7-176212-219 17.3-Inch Laptop Discount?

I originally purchased a Samsumg Gamer. I exchanged the original because it came with Windows 8 which I didn't want and they didn't have software available yet for using the microphone. I then tried the Samsung Gamer with Windows 7. I still had issues with the microphone which worked, but had excessive echo feedback that could not be corrected. In addition there were a number of other small matters such as the power cord coming detached easily.

After a little more research I decided on the MSI. The price for the build I chose was comparable to the Samsung. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the box and found an extremely solid exterior. There was minimal add-on software which save me the time I would normally use to remove those I wouldn't use. I was up and running in short order. The feel of the keyboard is just stiff enough for a good tactile feel, and I love the backlit keyboard (Samsung had this too). Now I think I will never do without keyboard lighting.

After using it for about a month, I can find little fault in it. Sound is great, performance excellent. The only thing I've noticed is that the gaming performance when on battery is not that good. But I rarely use the PC when gaming, so it's not an issue for me.

If you are thinking of the Samsung Gamer or something similar, you may want to consider this as another choice. I'm really happy with it so far.

Read More >>

HP Pavilion dv6-6135DX dv6t 15.6-Inch Entertainment Notebook PC - Latest Generation AMD A8-3500M Qu

This is my first notebook with Windows 7 Home Premium which was preloaded with all the usual bloatware on a large 640GB hard drive (5400rpm). I recommend removing all the trialware you can. Hopefully the expirence will be as nice as Windows XP.

AMD Quad-Core A8-3500M* processor, 6GB DDR3 memory, Blu-ray Disc-enabled DVD±RW/CD-RW drive, 15.6" LED high-definition display 1366 x 768, fingerprint reader, AMD Radeon HD 6750M switchable graphics, (the 6620g has 512MB DDR3, 6750m 1GB DDR5 allocated), Weighs 6 lbs. (which is much lighter the my old dell 9400) I've clocked 4 hours of battery life using the 6620g graphics web surfing and 1 hours 30 min using the 6750m with a mix of dvd video and games.

I picked this up at Best Buy for $699. If price point is important to you give this notebook serious consideration. A quad core processor and discrete graphics are hard to find at this price. The dv6-6135dx includes AMDs 32nm chip released around June 2011 for notebooks and this dv6 model supports wifi but not bluetooth. The display is bright and delivers good viewing at 720p. Most games with play at medium to high settings with ease. A real bonus is an blu-ray player for today's movies. Most mobile systems include a blu-ray player for a least $100 more. It seems a little bit of overkill to me because even DVDs can show a better picture than 720p, but blu-ray at least make me current. The full-size keyboard has a number pad and evenly spaced chiclet-style keys which I didn't think I would like, but its growing on me.

Beats Audio is a new name to the same great speaker set up HP has always included in their notebook line. It saves from having to carry external speakers from place to place. There are also plenty of ways to connect with two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and VGA video outputs, two headphone jacks, a microphone jack, an Ethernet connection, a multiformat card reader and an HP TrueVision HD webcam.

Sluggish productivity performance may show if you video edit a lot. The core processors operate at 1.5ghz and will take a little longer to compile a finished product. Its not a huge need for me and I have ripped a few snippets and not seen a large diference from my old intel dual core running at 2Ghz.

PC Magazine has a chart for comparison here: [....]

If you keep in mind what it is that you'll be using your mobile computer for in relation to the price you pay happiness can be yours.

Read More >>

Elitebook 8460P 14.0" I5-2520

I will disclose the obvious, I am biased toward HP products. That said, my company recently swapped out our laptops under contract from a competitive brand to the HP Elitebook 8440p. I was really happy to say the least! After having been around the HP Pavilion product line and the HP Mini 110 lines for quite a while, I was shopping for a new personal laptop and the 8440p really hit the button for me. I called HP small business sales and had a very informative discussion with a salesman and he informed me that the 8460p was the newer replacement and that I would find it might even be affordable compared to the older model.

Now for some details:

Processor is the iCore5 and it can be upgraded in the future because it has the ZIF mount. Also, the specs. were not clear but there are two memory banks and it comes with a 4gb filled in one so you have usable memory if you want to upgrade. (I remember the days of getting your memory in smaller size and populating all banks so that if you wanted to upgrade, you needed to chuck them all and start fresh).

I got looking at my optical drive and since I had a spare new blue ray player / dvd burner slim sata drive, I thought what the heck, wonder if it would work? yup! now if you might like the fact that you do not need tools to pull the cover off to access the memory and hard drive area, and your Windows COA label is now protected under the battery so you won't have them become damaged and worn off like on my previous model.

graphics and sounds are very good for a laptop, especially a business one. very neat features like built in smart card reader, finger print scanner, business card scanner, USB3 ports, express-card expansion slot, ability for docking station and secondary battery attachment. the construction of this laptop is very solid and rugged. I feel like the price I paid was very much of a steal for what I got compared to the normal plastic computers at the box stores. the positive latching lid, multiple wireless options, battery configurations and endless power with the HP super battery (I don't remember their name for it, but they have one) all add up to make one heck of a desktop killer. I can honestly say that with the docking station and the processor and memory options, I am ready to retire the desktop!

too many other good things about this to list, but maybe another owner will pick up the football and run with it.

For those unwilling to read this long, long review, the title of my review sums it up for you. Scroll down to where I explain the Pros & Cons if you like, but I am providing a more detailed explanation of my experience for those interested.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I received this laptop through my school's Campus HP program, and I have to say, it is a very well built laptop all round. Feels sturdy as a rock, lifting the lid is easy with the big release button. There is slight flex in the screen though but this is not a big issue. The rest of the body is very very sturdy. The keyboard is one of the best keyboards I have ever worked on, hands down. I am extremely impressed. That said, I do not like the new format for the arrow/directional keys one bit. Making them half the size of a regular key to save space was a terrible idea and gives rise to quite many unintended key presses. But besides that it is an absolute delight to work on this keyboard. I only wish it was backlit or had a backlit-version as an optional upgrade. The touchpad is very responsive, but the extra multi-touch settings, etc are a headache to work with and I recommend getting a mouse for your work. The touchpad is great but because of the problems I mentioned, only really good for the odd surfing. Scrolling is a pain hence get a mouse.

The Screen though, is one of the most terrible screens I have ever worked with. This particular screen is the 1366x768 screen, and I have worked with the 1600x900 screen as well and there is no marked improvement. It has a matte finish which is excellent, although the only good thing about it sadly. The color range is appalling. I am a graphic design student and have messed up some of my projects on this with the screen displaying one color and the studio's printer giving me something else. I have to resort to the school's iMacs for that, sadly. I am extremely disappointed in this screen, which also has terrible viewing angles you have to have it angled straight at you or it stresses your eyes out really fast. Audio quality of the speakers, too, is extremely, extremely bad. One of the worst speakers ever I feel embarrassed to playback audio/video clips in class using my laptop because of its pathetic sound reproduction as well as low volume output. Highly suggest you get headphones or connect this laptop to proper speakers for any music listening because it will butcher your tracks.

Performance wise, the processor is zippy and extremely fast; at the very last this get your work done for the next 2-3 years with ease. It overclocks marvelously with Turbo boost. The graphics option is really embarrassing though and I wish this came with a better option than the AMD chip it has (Mine does not even have that). For a laptop in the range of (and above) $1100, I expect at least a mid range card considering that competing brands have such options a card like the nvidia GT 540m would have made this laptop an absolute steal. Thus for the aforementioned reasons do not even think about playing any games on this laptop Call of Duty Black Ops stutters at around 25-30fps at best with all settings set at the lowest. Not impressive at all. The reason I recommend a better card is not for gaming, it is because I desire a good performer that can handle anything thrown at it to a somewhat respectable level, not dig its own grave and bury itself in it, like when I ran the music and gaming tests. Tad Imbalanced, huh? Hard drive performance is strictly OKAY for a 7200rpm drive. HP has its bloatware and I highly recommend you get rid of it to avoid the atrociously long boot times. Also, please do not update your BIOS to anything above F.20 (at the time of writing this review) because HP disables SATA III support on later BIOS releases. So if you have an SSD (which is an absolutely recommended upgrade) on this, your speeds will be badly throttled. Kudos, HP.

Upgrading this laptop is not difficult removing the bottom cover is extremely easy and swapping RAM in particular is extremely easy. You can also get an upgrade caddy to replace the optical drive and thus run two hard drives like I am. The layout is clean and very impressive, but this leads me to my next disappointment this laptop runs HOT and can be really loud. Don't even think of playing games, this thing heats up to around 90'C which is TERRIBLE for a non-gaming laptop, because the components are not designed to withstand such temperatures. Consequently, the fans kick and run loud trying as they work hard to cool down. This laptop has a terrible cooling system. A cooler is highly recommended, and repasting the CPU paste with better aftermarket paste is advised if you know how to get that done.

The webcam is of decent quality, the small light meant to light up your keyboard in the dark is almost useless since the screen is actually brighter. The presence of one Powered USB2.0, 2 USB3.0 ports and an eSATA/USB2.0 port is a very commendable attachment since not many laptops have the powered port (useful for charging your stuff even with the laptop off), USB3 ports or the eSATA port. The lack of an HDMI port is extremely disappointing but the DisplayPort is hardly a consolation. There is VGA for connecting to projectors for the businessmen. Also, battery life of this laptop is good, ranging around the 4-hour mark, and about 40-50 minutes more if you turn down the brightness and turn off wireless connections. I expect better from a laptop of this form factor and a lower TDP processor (35W versus 45W), though, but this is still good. Wireless range is good with the Intel 6250 card though nothing to write home about. It works inconsistently. Another strange issue with this laptop is the fact that it sometimes refuses to shut down/hibernate/sleep. It completes any of those actions you picked, but then restarts on itself within a matter of seconds. The only way to stop this is by manually removing the battery. Also, sometimes the multimedia shortcuts (fn + f6/f7/f9/f10) for the brightness and volume refuse to work at all sometimes, and only a restart fixes this. Likewise, the two USB3 ports on the side also just stop working occasionally. This can only be rectified by a hard restart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thus:

Pros: Great processing power and speeds; Good battery life; Excellent keyboard; Good (sometimes inconsistent) wireless connectivity, USB3 + USBpowered ports; Good trackpad (minus multitouch); Wonderful build quality; Good warranty; Open to upgradeability (RAM and CPU);

Cons: Terrible audio and 3d performance; Terrible performance under 32-bit Windows 7 (64bit has no problems); HP bloatware; Horrible, horrible screen (the deal breaker for me); random bugs with multimedia keys and shutting down/hibernating/sleep mode; Terrible cooling system, runs hot, runs loud; Starts-up randomly for no reason sometimes despite being shutdown.

Conclusion: The only reason I have this laptop is because the school requires me to have it for my second major which is business. The school's 4-year complete coverage warranty is also another incentive. I have already bought another laptop for myself and am leaving this for the most basic tasks such as web-surfing, word-processing and running business software. It is a good laptop for businessmen who don't need much but just want good build quality, or the odd college student who needs to do the most basic of work it should thus be priced much lower in my opinion for its rather low usefulness. To anyone else, I cannot recommend this. You would be better off buying a slightly more expensive Macbook 13" or even the Macbook Air, or for less expensive options you could take a look at the Acer Aspire line or a Sony Vaio for a good looking, well built all round laptop. Sticking to HP? Go for the Envy line, they are much better overall although not as well built or with such good battery life. However the terrible speakers which will embarrass you and kill your ears, and the terrible screen which leaves much to be desired are easily the biggest turn offs that, sadly, offset the otherwise great keyboard and build quality to the point where I cannot recommend this to anyone. Hopefully they will do better with the next line of Elitebooks...

OVERALL: 3.5 / 5

Buy Elitebook 8460P 14.0" I5-2520 Now

Love the computer hate the display. Can't work on it for more then 20 minutes without connecting an external display. I'm not a big fan of the touchpad, two finger scrolling is glitchy. The computer is rather heavy as well.

Read Best Reviews of Elitebook 8460P 14.0" I5-2520 Here

Read More >>

Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 15.4-inch Laptop (Intel Pentium Dual Core T2330 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 1

First, if you're looking for a laptop with all the bells and whistles, this version of Toshiba's Satellite isn't it. Still, it's a great unit. The screen is amazing. Crystal clear and sharp. Not overly glossy to the point where you can see who's standing behind you. Movies look amazing on it.

You can get by with the 1 gig of ram it comes with, but be prepared for it to be a little sluggish. Still perfectly usable, but if you really want to take advantage of the nature of dual core (i.e. multi-tasking) then you'll want 2 gig. I put 2GB of Kingston, (2 x 1GB) 200-Pin DDR2 667 (PC2 5300), in the system and it has run flawless.

Very nice touch-pad on this unit and the left-right buttons under the touch pad are just right not too mushy to cause an accidental click and not to stiff that they are annoying. Keyboard is laid out nicely with the "delete" key in the top right corner. Just the way I like it. Movies played perfectly and I was able to burn CD's right out of the box. Vista has a very cool drag and drop CD burning utility built into the OS. Sound system very nice, though speakers not adequate for movies too quiet. But the simulated Dolby Surround for headphones works very well.

Other nice features that other laptops fail to include is a latching mechanism when you close the "lid" and a switch that let's you instantly turn off WiFi. This works very well by the way and stretches battery power when you don't need to be "connected."

The quibbles. If you are going to use this laptop for typing your next novel, you might want to try out the keyboard in your local PC store to make sure you are comfortable typing on it for extended periods. It's a little on the stiff side compared to some others. Another minor grip is no TV out. It does have a VGA out, but if you want to throw the image onto a TV you'll need a converter a simple VGA to S-Video cable for example won't cut it. Also, it only has 2 USB ports. If you plan to use it as your desktop unit as well, you might need a USB hub.

These gripes are minor in my opinion because I don't really NEED them, but to me, it was worth the sacrifice to get this unit at so low a price point.

I'm very happy with the system. Nice to have a Toshiba. Great brand. Everything worked, right out of the box. This one is replacing a Toshiba that I've had for years without issue.

A bought this computer because was one of the best value for the money. The dual core processor is great, 1GB ram look like not enought using Windows Vista (just the OS use 780MB ) so if you plan to use heavy software, I think you need 2 gb for ram.

As usual on Toshiba come with recovery cd (other brand not include this anymore, you have to burn it from the HD), quick install guide, and documents about warranty and toshiba accesories.

The finished look very well, except for the BIG BIG brand name on the lid, maybe somebody like that, not me. The keyboard is white color, the screen is pretty bright so you don't have any problem reading with sunlight. The weight is the normal for a 15.4" notebook, like 6 pounds.

This unit don't come with Card reader, you can see the space for it, but not coming with this model. I thought that thing about just two USB ports was a lie but is true, this notebook just have two USB port on the left side, doesn't have TV out.

PROs

Price

Dual Core 1.6ghz Processors

Bright Screen

Good Wireless reception

Good Finished

CONs

Windows Vista and Just 1GB of ram

Not card reader

Just 2 USB Ports

Buy Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 15.4-inch Laptop (Intel Pentium Dual Core T2330 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 1 Now

This laptop is a decent choice for those looking for a budget computer. Hard core gamers, enthusiasts, or anyone else looking for high-performance should look elsewhere. But for surfing the internet, office programs, and other basic applications this is a great choice. The dual-core Intel processor is more than enough to run those basic applications smoothly and quickly. The 120GB hard drive is plenty to keep all your music, videos, etc.

You will definitely want to upgrade the RAM to 2GB (the max) from the 1GB it came with. New memory should cost less than $50 at many online computer retailers and it provides a *very* noticeable improvement in performance. Upgrading is very simple, you open the hatch on the bottom of the laptop, remove the 2 memory modules there (2 x 512mb) and install the new modules (2 x 1GB). For those interested, the type of RAM you're looking for is DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) 200-pin SO-DIMM. Although many of those retailers let you enter the model# and it shows you compatible memory you can buy.

The weight listed here at amazon is 9lbs, but the actual weight is much less. This laptop replaces a 4 year old Dell Inspiron that was really over 9lbs and this laptop is significantly less. I'd say probably closer to 6lbs.

This doesn't come with any of the extras you see on more expensive laptops such as memory card readers, media buttons (like play/pause, forward, rewind, etc), extra USB ports (there are only 2), or things like bluetooth or N-wireless (it does come with B/G-wireless). The battery is also rather short, lasting only about 2 hours, a little more or less depending on the selected power profile.

The DVD drive reads and burns CDs and DVDs effortlessy. I don't use iTunes, so I can't comment on other's troubles with it, I'm sure it will influence your choice if that is a program you use frequently.

The screen is very very nice. Very clear and bright, and has a smooth anti-glare glass(?) covering. The build quality is overall very nice and feels solidly built.

For those interested, the Vista Experience scores are as follows:

Procesor=4.7

Memory (RAM)=4.2 (note that changing to 2GB did not affect this score)

Graphics=3.1 (poor due to Intel XMA graphics. this is why gamers should look elsewhere)

Gaming Graphics=3.3

Primary HardDisk=4.9

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 15.4-inch Laptop (Intel Pentium Dual Core T2330 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 1 Here

I recently purchased this laptop at Best Buy and I am incredibly satisfied with it thus far. The one thing I made sure to do right away was to purchase 2GB of RAM when I got the laptop as mine only came with 1GB total (it had 2 512MB modules in it). This allows me to do more multitasking and have overall better performance (since Vista alone needs nearly 1GB of RAM just to work). I was able to install the new 1GB modules myself without any problem, the owners manual that accompanies the laptop shows you exactly how to do it in an easy-to-understand manner. The screen is brilliant and the keyboard is easy on the hands. I will mainly be using this computer for word processing and internet research (I am currently a full-time graduate student). However, this laptop is also compatible with iTunes and other popular media programs so I can listen to music, move songs to and from my iPod with the laptop, and also watch DVDs and streaming videos online with no problems. It is also equipped with a wireless internet card so you can go wireless with it right out of the box without any hassle.

I've noticed some people here have given this product bum reviews, and I think they must either have too high of standards for a basic model laptop or that they don't really know much about computers and their performance in the first place. One thing I found right off the bat was the multitude of unnecessary software that comes preinstalled with this laptop (as with pretty much all Windows-based computers today). The first thing you should do after turning your laptop on is to uninstall all the software you know you won't be using. This will free up space and increase performance as you eliminate programs you won't need. People interested in buying this laptop should also purchase additional RAM, as my model only came with 1GB. I bought 2GB RAM at Best Buy for $60, and the investment was well worth it. I have no issues with having multiple webpages up, iTunes playing music, and word processing all at the same time.

The people who have bashed this computer seem to not understand that certain steps need to be taken to improve overall performance, especially on base models like the Satellite A205. Toshiba is a great company, and this laptop is no disappointment by any means. I would highly recommend this laptop to any student who is on a budget and needs a computer for school. I would not recommend this laptop to hardcore gamers (the video card isn't built for those as it's a basic model), video editors (if you're doing video editing you should be using a Mac laptop), or those who demand incredibly high performance for complicated programs that need a higher performing machine to run them.

I hope this review helps some people, espeically students who need a quality laptop at a fair price. For people who want a higher performing laptop for gaming or other reasons, I would look to a higher model Toshiba with more featuers. But for basic everyday use (internet browsing, music, word processing, etc.) this laptop is perfect. The only reason this didn't get 5 stars was the lack of a higher performing video card if I do decide to do some gaming at some point in the future. However, since this is a basic model it's acceptable and I'm completely happy with it!

Want Toshiba Satellite A205-S5804 15.4-inch Laptop (Intel Pentium Dual Core T2330 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 1 Discount?

A pretty decent powerhouse laptop for the price, but because of the low price point if has very little software. It's loaded with 'samples' and 'trials' that I deleted pretty much immediately. Loading itunes was difficult for some reason. I had to load it three times, and finally got it load after uninstalling quicktime. Now it appears to be fine. I have heard that toshiba laptops have this problem. I will say that I had heard both good and bad about vista before purchasing, and wasn't really concerned and I've gone through this several times before with everyone running around saying "windows 95 sucks, windows 98 sucks, windows xp sucks". If I had to do over, I would custom order a laptop without vista. Vista actually does appear to suck. It is not intuitive, and I cannot do the most simple task such as "save as" without jumping through hoops and much cursing. I just opened an excell spreadsheet I carry with me on a usb drive and it would not allow me to save it to the computer. I suppose as I learn it my opinion may change about Vista, but for jumping in and working with it immediately, it is a bit tough. Heck, they even hid the shut-down button in a most inconspicuous place.

The one real negative besides the OS, which is not toshiba's fault, is the horrendously short battery life. Carry your power cables with you, you'll need them. You get maybe...just maybe two hours of life at what I would call low level usage. It's on and I'm surfing. Heaven forbid I actually use the dvd drive and really shorten that battery life.

Screen display and size is fine, built in pointing is okay, but Acer's little scroll button is way better than the toshiba's nothing, you'll need a mouse for anything beyond basic goofing off.

I'm not really too disappointed in it, but it didn't impress me as much as I thought it would, even with the pretty decent price.

New add on 5-3-08: I've had this for a whle now and while I've gotten used to vista (used to and liking it are not the same..but it actually does appear to be incredibly stable) but the ONLY thing that I would really change is the pointing device. But to be honest, I carry the power cables and a mouse with it at all times, and the mouse comes out for anything I deem 'serious' computer usage.

New add on 9-26-08: dvd player/burner is toast, and I hardly ever used it. I don't watch movies on this thing, so the inconvenience factor is low, but I occasionally burn stuff so I bought a dual layer external with lightscribe.

Read More >>

Asus N56VM-RB71 Laptop, Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3 GHz, 8GB Ram, 15.6 FHD Screen, NVIDIA GT 630M 2GB

I just received my Laptop yesterday from Adorama.....took 2 days to get it..free shipping...no tax! Highly recommend these guys! Anyway I took out the HDD and 8GB ram immediately and put in a crucial M4 256GB SSD and crucial 16GB (2x8).

The installation went without a hitch, took about 5 mins. Turned it on, and installed Windows 8 Pro.

HOWEVER, the Asus driver CD does not properly support Win8. You will need to download some files manually when you upgrade.

I also had to calibrate my battery to make it read about 6 hours. It is advertised to run at 4.5 hours, but initially I was only getting 2.5. After running the battery to zero % and searching to 100% it said 6.5 hours :) Been running it for about 3 hours now...still says 3:15 hours left!!!

You only need to remove one screw to gain access to the HDD and RAM!!! WOW so easy!

I will be using this for VMware labs and VCP5 practice! So far......so good!

This laptop is a 3rd gen I7 with a quad core running on the ivy bridge. Make sure you use the 64bit edition of windows to utilize all ram.

I own three other Asus laptops and all of them came with very light installs of 64 bit Windows 7 Professional and almost zero bloatware. I could not find this model with any other option than Home Premium (which does not allow you to image the hard drive for backup) or Windows 8 (which I cant stand) but decided because of Asus quality to give it a try anyway. It arrived and booted up with about 50 bloatware programs all vying for attention. Many of them being additive software from Asus which are not necessary. Some of them are so interlaced to the kernel that it is all but impossible to remove them. Asus also made bad choices with items like McAfee anti-virus (for 30 days)(Microsoft Security Essentials or Avira are much nicer), Adobe Reader (try Foxit PDF instead) and Windows Live. Massive headaches trying to remove all this crap and just get down to a very light install that runs at boot up with only needed essentials.

The hardware for this laptop (in its price range) is fairly high end, and it does run fast and smoothly, once you use msconfig to remove some of the initiating processes. My only other caveat is that the directional keys are slightly misplaced on this unit and a tap to the right shift key often ends up hitting the arrow keys instead.

Overall, a nice laptop that is marred by too many proprietary Asus bloatware programs and too much third party promotional software. As it stands now, three stars. However, if you have time and the inclination to remove most of the crap (thank you Revo Uninstaller), and can get the unit down to a nice light state, it is about 4.7 stars out of five.

Buy Asus N56VM-RB71 Laptop, Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3 GHz, 8GB Ram, 15.6 FHD Screen, NVIDIA GT 630M 2GB Now

When the system arrived I had a couple of problems with blue screens. After updating video and touchpad drivers all problems are cured. This notebook is phenominal. I love everything about it. The display is bright, sharp and has great viewing angle. The system is fast, the keyboard has a good feel and I love the fact that it is backlit. If you buy this computer you won't be disappointed.

Read Best Reviews of Asus N56VM-RB71 Laptop, Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3 GHz, 8GB Ram, 15.6 FHD Screen, NVIDIA GT 630M 2GB Here

Considering it is refurbished and there is a little risk with such a short warranty... it is a nice laptop. Nice, as in works like it should with what it has in it. It can run 3DSMax and Skyrim without any hiccups or low frame rates. I replaced the security system with Avast and installed Windows updates and it has been working smoothly for two weeks. The backlight keys are a bit garish but much preferred to none at all. The trackpad is awful, just get a mouse and you will be fine.

Want Asus N56VM-RB71 Laptop, Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3 GHz, 8GB Ram, 15.6 FHD Screen, NVIDIA GT 630M 2GB Discount?

It was missing a few drivers, no big deal and it was evident it was made for sale in a foreign country (other than english speaking). Other than get through the set up it has been great. Thanks,

Read More >>

HP Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us 14-Inch Laptop (Black)

first, to give some background I am basing my rating on the computer itself not Chrome OS. I think that I would give the operating system three stars. It is still lacking some significant things. For example, there is no screensaver, and there is no way to sync your ipod/phone. But, it is great for doing all the web-based things you want to do without the clutter and weight of other operating systems.

As for the computer itself...

In relation to a Unibody mac, there is no comparison. The HP Chromebook feels cheaper. The keyboard isn't as comfortable, nor is it backlit. The trackpad can be a little jittery, and the buttons just don't have the same solid feel. But, and here is a huge but, at $330, there just isn't any way it could compare to a $1500 computer. Looking at it for what it is, it feels pretty OK. The screen is bright and clear, and the 14" size is just a whole lot better than 11". For what it is, everything seems to be made pretty well. It feels solid for plastic (no squishy feeling where you rest your hands while typing). And, even though it is heavy for a Chromebook, it is still really light. Most importantly it is fast. Really fast. It boots almost instantly. I think it takes longer for me to type my password than it does for the operating system to go from off to ready to go.

As I try more things, I will update this review. As a first impression, I would call myself impressed.

*edit 1:

So, my first computer was a lemon. As it turned out, it would not charge when the power was off. I have not heard of anyone else having this problem, so I don't think it is a general issue...and I can see why QC would not have caught it. The only reason I am adding anything here is because I had a terrible experience with HP's technical support. The main problem is that they are just not set up to handle Chrome OS. Eventually I got to a point where I realized they were trying to use windows troubleshooting steps on my chrome machine (figured that out when they kept asking me to go to "control panel" or use "run")...so I took it back to the store where I bought it and exchanged the defective computer for a new one, which works great.

But, moving on from that, I have to say that the trauma of this whole situation was not really that traumatic at all. If it had been a windows machine or even a mac, I would be cursing the day's worth of work that was left for me to get back up and running. Instead, I powerwashed my computer (chrome's way of saying erased all the user data) before returning it, and when I got the new one, I put in my email info and it was back right where I left off. No reinstalling this and that or recovering via time-machine. It only took me about twenty seconds longer than a standard startup. Needless to say, that made me very happy.

On another note, I have done the optional ram upgrade that caused me to choose this machine over the samsung, and here is a warning. Even if you are a computer DIYer, don't try this one. I consider myself pretty handy, having built a few desktop computers and even a laptop, but I was not able to do the ram upgrade. You need the proper tools to get the HP case apart and the ram is located all the way at the bottom so you literally have to take the whole computer apart to get to the extra ram slot. Leave it to the pros. or let the 2 gigs suffice, it probably wasn't really necessary to do the upgrade anyway. I really wish they would offer a 4 gig pre-installed option...

*edit 2

So this edit is more about chrome OS than it is about the computer itself, which has been working flawlessly. I have run into a few more issues that have yet to be resolved for chrome OS. Apparently Java is not supported. This hasn't been the biggest issue, but it is frustrating to not be able to use some websites...and if you think 'I am not a super user, I wouldn't have that problem'...that isn't really the case. Some pretty basic websites like the webcam feed for our puppy's daycare uses Java...I wouldn't call this a deal breaker, but it is something to be aware of...

I received my HP Chromebook today. I have been disgusted with Windows 7 operating system now for sometime. When my desktop was new it took about a minute to boot up, after constant Windows updates it now takes 8 to 10 minutes to boot up (plus the web locks up if it decides to update while I am in the middle of something even after turning off updates). I read reviews of Google Chrome OS and decided to try a Chromebook computer. I looked at Samsung and Acer laptops and with old eyes I wanted a larger screen so I chose the HP with a 14 inch screen. Set up could not have been simpler. I went thru the installation and set up in about a minute. I was using Google Chrome on my desktop so all the bookmarks and all else was transferred to the HP Chromebook without a hitch. It boots up in seconds and I am online in a matter of seconds. It also has Google Docs and Google Sheets (word processing and spreadsheet basic) that is very user much like Windows Office. If the performance continues,(I expect it will) I could not be more pleased. Windows needs to figure out a better OS or Google OS will take over completely as far as computer systems go. I am 100% pleased with this system as I did not want a tablet. If in the near future some one comes out with a desktop Chromebook I will buy one. For web surfing and emails, basic word processing and spreadsheet this can not be beat. I would recommend a Chromebook to anyone who wants the above mentioned usage in a computer system.

Buy HP Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us 14-Inch Laptop (Black) Now

I received this HP product Friday and have only used it for a few hours. This is my first laptop so I can't compare it to other similar products. First impression: solid construction, nice screen, good keyboard, good sounding speakers (at least to my ears). The speakers are upward-facing as opposed to speakers on the bottom on many similar products. Surfing without a mouse is a new experience for me, but the more I use this product, the easier it gets. A negative for many is two hours less battery reserve than the Samsung, but I wanted the larger screen and decided I could live with this shortcoming.

Gamers who need JAVA and others who need JAVA for certain programs should not buy this product. I don't miss it as I removed it from my desktop recently due to security concerns. The main negative for me is that I don't like using web mail; I much prefer Thunderbird.

This product excels at surfing the Web and watching videos including HD videos and if you have been using the Chrome browser on another computer, all of your settings are carried over for a smooth transition.

Read Best Reviews of HP Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us 14-Inch Laptop (Black) Here

HP CHROMEBOOK DIES UPON INITIAL UPDATE! Ordered "new" HP Pavilion Chromebook as gift for wife. Even paid extra charge for "Overnight Delivery"!

Received Unit (packaging showed no damage), unit itself looked OK and seemed to be in good working order upon unpacking. Installed battery and unit auto started upon opening lid. Wife proceeded to sign in to Google Account as directed, then setup Chrome Browser and watched a couple of YouTubes (total time approximately one hour). Primarily to just checkout the unit, which seemed to be a nice laptop, up to that point! Powered unit off as directed (to run initial update) and restarted. Upon which it ran the first initial update and then proceeded to die!!!

Turned unit off (holding down button for over twenty seconds, to clear any settings). Then removed and replaced battery also disconnected/reconnected power cord each several times and tried to restart. All attempts failed, unit is DEAD/NO POWER!!!

Intended as a gift, but won't bring much happiness or productivity this weekend! Hope Amazon, doesn't attempt to send refurbished replacement, as that will be unacceptable!!!

PS. Did a search in Google Groups-Chromebook and seems this has happened repeatedly to other new HP Chromebook purchasers! CHROMEBOOK, great concept, now if it just worked it'd be an Awesome little laptop!!! (Will update review later, based on final outcome)

Want HP Pavilion Chromebook 14-c010us 14-Inch Laptop (Black) Discount?

The Chromebook is not a laptop computer, and comparing them will be unfair to Chromebook. It will not download programs or software. Therefore, it is NOT for hardcore gamers, even for the moderate ones. This is not for heavy office use or for wild creative activities like Photoshop and the like. It cannot even let you print because you wouldn't be able to download the driver software to run your printer. The Chromebook does one thing very well open up the internet at high speed for your enjoyment without having to download software, updates, and the like.

If you want something like a tablet, but with a keyboard, full size, instant on, and blazing speed on the Net, then Chromebook is your machine. If your objective is to surf the net, send and receive e-mails, and watch streaming movies, then this is your toy to enjoy! (HP's video quality is significantly better than what is offered by Samsung or Acer.) If you do your homework ahead of purchase, you likely will not regret your investment. Enjoy!

Save 2% Off

Read More >>

Dell Inspiron N5030 iN5030-2112B3D Notebook PC - Intel Pentium T4500(2.30GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory DDR3

I purchased this laptop in hopes that I was going to get my moneys worth. It turned out that the motherboard went out on the laptop and the warranty had been expired for a years time. So whoever is selling these items are buying them, and putting them into their names because I had to get the laptop transferred over into my name. Then come too find out the warranty I had paid for was void.

the keyboard on this computer has serious problems in that it skips and jumps all over the place. the mouse pad would be too sensitive with the pointer moving the screen all over the place or no sensitive enough where I literally would have to "drag" the cursor from 1 place on the scree to another.

the entire body is lacuqered in black paint with raised logos which makes the computer very slippery and will slide off almost everything you put on, including the car dashboard when I parked my car. Unfurtunately it fell off the dashboard so I decided to write this review to tell potential buyers to stay away from dell notebook unless you can physically inspect it because the description will almost never tell you about the body/case of the computer and the keyboard designst

estion

sugget(supposed to be suggestion but the cursor skipped without warning): stay away from this computer!!!!!

Buy Dell Inspiron N5030 iN5030-2112B3D Notebook PC - Intel Pentium T4500(2.30GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory DDR3 Now

Great Notebook at a great price

works great!!

One of the best Dell has right now.

Will prurchase again if necessary

Nice product

Read Best Reviews of Dell Inspiron N5030 iN5030-2112B3D Notebook PC - Intel Pentium T4500(2.30GHz) 15.6" 4GB Memory DDR3 Here

Read More >>

ASUS Republic of Gamers G53SX-AH71 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black)

As others have mentioned this laptop has a few "issues" as follows:

1. First one arrived DOA. Ordered from Tigerdirect, which has a local outlet, where I brought it for exchange. They only had the floor model left--and discounted it an additional $150 for me! At approx. $750, such a deal!

2. However, with that in mind, buying extended warranty might be advisable.

3. I've tested this laptop on the following games: Modern Warfare 3, Batman Arkham City, Skyrim, Crysis 2, Portal 1 & 2, and Minecraft. All games tested ran flawlessly, although I did have to lower the resolution from "ultra" to "high" for MW3 and Skyrim.

3. This laptop is heavier than even my 18.4" laptop, and is also larger than most 15" laptops, will not fit into a 15" laptop case. The styling of this laptop was inspired by stealth jet fighters and looks pretty sharp, so I guess its just the price you pay for beauty.

4. As another reviewer mentioned, when compared to the 3GB Nvidia GTX 360M with 3GB RAM, the video card in this laptop has only 2GB RAM, and is slightly "crippled", meaning it runs at a 128 bit bus width, and not the full 192. It's still a high-end, Class 1 video card, contains all the most desired features, and runs all the most "graphic intensive" modern games wonderfully, but why?

Oh well, I actually bought this laptop as an Xmas present for my 8 year old nephew. He didn't really ask for or expect a gaming laptop, but the netbook I orginally bought couldn't even run Minecraft, much less any of his school applications, and he's not exactly allowed to "surf the net." The specs and performance of this laptop are truely impressive, even with a slightly "crippled" video card.

Aside from supporting DirectX 11, and OpenGL 4.0, even though the monitor renders in 2D, the Nvidia video card supports 3D, meaning that you can hook the laptop up to an external 3D monitor via HDMI, for 3D video gaming, and streaming 3D internet content, including 3D movie viewing!

At least at this time, Nvidia only provides support though for certain 3D monitors that employ ACTIVE 3D technology, and also requires a 120HZ monitor (ie., refresh rate of 120 fpm "frames per second), however, I understand that drivers are now being developed to support passive 3D technology as well. I have a passive 3D TV, and connected the laptop via HDMI to see whether it would support 3D gaming. It kind of worked, but not very well.

5. Although games run smooth as silk, we've experienced some buffering issues when playing youtube videos. To resolve, I went to the Asus ROG forum, and took the advice of others, flashed the bios, installed the latest drivers and ran CCleaner, to clear out temp. files. Seems to have resolved that issue, for the most part anyway.

As I notice other reviewers have had similar issues, I wouldn't doubt that might be the very reason Asus discounted this particular model so deeply. Laptops with comparable specs cost almost twice as much, and for the savings, the issues experienced are fairly minor. So far anyway.

Great performance, construction and pricetag! It's ASUS! I love it!

BUT...

I have 2 things to complain about:

I dont know why ASUS's choice was the 128bits gtx 560 and not the 192bits...

I saw in many forums zillions of problem about the magnet sensor that tell when the lid is closed or not, well, my asus came with this and i dont know how to permanently fix this problem, im in brazil and I cant sendo to RMA (global guarantee?? maybe not).

Buy ASUS Republic of Gamers G53SX-AH71 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black) Now

Bought it, had it shipped, received it in perfect working order. It's a great laptop with a super-bright screen. Everything's as it should be, except for one thing: there is no way the published dimensions are right.

I bought a Targus Revolution XL specifically because it was designed for 15-16 inch laptops, and this beautiful monster of a laptop wouldn't fit. Had to get a more boring backpack instead. The only reason this review isn't 5 stars is because there's less choices for bags and protection.

EDIT:

The USB 3.0 driver on the machine was buggy -it wouldn't play nice with my Western Digital 1TB portable drive. Windows said the driver was up to date, but I was able to update it from an external site and that fixed the problem. (The drive would be detected, but transferring anything over 1MB would cause it to be "disconnected" and would prompt Windows to reformat the drive.)

Read Best Reviews of ASUS Republic of Gamers G53SX-AH71 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black) Here

The last year Circuit City was selling this laptop on black Friday for $910 dollars with 2 years warranty + 1 year of accidental warranty included.

When I saw that I did not think it twice, I bought it right away! the next day out of stock!

If you are looking to buy a cheap gaming laptop with awesome features and quality, only Asus meets the requirements!

My fist laptop I owned was a Dell (before buying this Asus G53SX) and Dell customer service lied to me saying that the XPS editions can handle everything, any game, + they are REALLY USELESS when you are having any issue!!! Months later when Battle-field 3 came out......... I was lucky if I was able to enjoy the game for 30 minutes without lagging!

When I was buying the laptop online the specs said 15.6 inches.... when I opened the box, the screen was pretty big for being a 15.6 inches.....

I measured it and is 17 inches... No idea why!

Asus Republic of gamers G53SX does a AWESOME job running games!

I run Battle field 3, Call of Duty MW3 in low or medium performance without any issue or lagging at all (only when the server is bad).

Battery life is AWESOME!!!!!

After 3 hours of doing research, listening music, I have to run to get my battery charger.

Asus offers a battery saving software which is kinda cool because when you unplug your laptop, this software does everything to save energy!

Sound quality is pretty good, not awesome, but let's say 8 of 10!!

Do not spend $1600 dollars to buy an Alien-ware!

The Asus G53SX does the same job than any Alien-ware laptop for less money.

Want ASUS Republic of Gamers G53SX-AH71 15.6-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black) Discount?

As this series of laptop ages, it is coming to light that the DC jack (where the power cord enters the computer) has a serious design flaw. The DC jack pin (the part of the jack that transfers power from the power cord to the computer) is much too thin and often breaks off within a year. This results in a computer that cannot be charged.

To make matters worse, apparently Asus has received so many repair requests for this part that it is on indefinite backorder. In other words, they no longer have the part to repair this problem.

Here is a thread on the Asus forums that catalogs hundreds of customers complaining about this exact problem:Do not buy this laptop! It will break, Asus will not repair it. I now have a useless $1500 hunk of plastic I am trying to extract data from.

Read More >>

Dell Latitude E4300 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz, 160GB Hard Drive, 4096Mb RAM, DVDRW Driv

At work our company purchased a fleet of Dell Latitude E4300 to replace our old D400/D600 notebooks. These notebooks are stylish and superfast with SSD and Win7 upgrades. The warranty is excellent, if hard drive fails or someone is wrong. Dell warranty is fast to replace or fix any problems you made experience and overnight the part for you FREE. The E-Series will last for many, many years to come.

"Dell Customer Service for Small Business was superb, delivering new keyboards overnight, or sending a technician over, the next day with almost no questions asked."

I am very happy with the laptop. The product looks like new, the computer is fast , small and light.

The keyboard is in very good condition. The screen doesn't has any scratch.

Notebook cover is like metal but it has some small scratch but it is normal.

I installed it Ubunto linux 11.10 and it works great ( i am using double boot Windows 7 and Linux).

The laptop has windows 7 license ( it was a nice surprise) when i bought the laptop had Windows XP professional license.

The Feature are:

Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz

DVDRW Drive

Hard disk 160 GB

4 Gb of Ram

Wifi

Screen 13.3"

Micro SD reader

USB Ports

VGA Port

Extra port to extra battery

Charger

Windows 7 license for refurbished equipment.

ALL THE COMPONENTS WORKS =).

Buy Dell Latitude E4300 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz, 160GB Hard Drive, 4096Mb RAM, DVDRW Driv Now

Dell had a nice thin feel to it with a good bit of memory running XP Pro which is real bonus. It has a docking port which I used at home to do remote access to work with duel flat top monitors, it makes an excellent work environment. Has very good processing speed.

Read Best Reviews of Dell Latitude E4300 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz, 160GB Hard Drive, 4096Mb RAM, DVDRW Driv Here

Read More >>

Toshiba Satellite L505-S5965 15.6" Notebook (2.1GHz Athlon QL-65 3GB RAM 250GB HDD DL DVD-RW Vista

Wowwwwww, how could you hate this so much?!

Okay, first of all, its not exactly a very portable laptop, indeed. I simply use it at home and most the time keep it plugged in, it's also a little bulky to be lugging around.

HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!!

Read More >>

Dell Inspiron 17R 17.3" Core i7 1TB HDD Notebook

I was looking for a laptop computer preferably with windows 7 operating system.the price was reasonable the packaging was adequate,the shipping was a little slow do to the storm flooding in New Jersey.This is my first Dell computer. all previous were HP computers.my last was windows x-p operating system.i like the operating speed and the large hard drive storage,but the down side of this item is all the junk programs that Microsoft put on the desktop for an additional fee.not many freebee such as office software, antivirus.they are pushing cloud in the sky storage ,reg edit,file optimizer,advance protector,online backup,online vault backup that keep popping up on the screen. very annoying.

I use a DELL Latitude at work and I have a DELL Inspiton 17R for my home computer.

They both have a problem with the touch pad. It will enter keystrokes, mouse moves and mouse clicks by itself. It seems to favor selecting large amounts of text and then deleting it. That is very, very annoying if you're writing in an application that doesn't have an "undo" function.

I got the DELL service group to fix my work computer the replaced a daughter board for the touch-pad. That eliminated MOST of the problems. I'm not so lucky with my home computer. Be sure to save all the paperwork you get with your DELL computer or DELL won't help you. I mean, it's obviously one of their computers.

Other than the fact that it goes wacky, I like the large hard drive and the big screen.

Buy Dell Inspiron 17R 17.3" Core i7 1TB HDD Notebook Now

Read More >>

Acer AS5740-5513 15.6-Inch Laptop (Blue)

• 2.13GHz Intel Core i3-330M Processor
• 4GB DDR3 1066MHz Dual Channel Memory
• 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive, 8X DVD-Super Multi Double-Layer Drive
• 15.6" HD Acer CineCrystal LCD Display; Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD
• Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit); 802.11b/g/Draft-N Wi-Fi Certified

First off, I just want to say that unless you actually OWN a product, you should not rate it. Period. The purpose of a review is to critique the item itself not the accuracy of Amazon's product listing. The previous 1-star reviewer obviously does not understand this, so please IGNORE their rating, because this laptop really is a gemstone (pun intended).

I'll start with the downsides of the laptop. For one thing, I wish it had Firewire. That is the one key port that I really miss on this machine. eSATA would be nice, too, but for the price, I can live without it. Also, the battery life could be better. I haven't used the machine enough to give you a precise figure, but I'd say the battery lasts between 2 and 3.5 hrs depending on what I'm doing. Not terrible, but not great either Dell's competing i3 model has almost double the wHr capacity. Cosmetically, the laptop is a little dated looking. It is made of fingerprint-attracting glossy plastic, and the lid has rounded edges, which are not exactly in style. Then again, I personally care more about the laptop's functionality and build quality than its aesthetics. Here's where the good stuff comes into play: there is a little bit of flex here and there, but on the whole, the machine feels pretty solid. I'm not terrified of breaking it by setting down on the table to quickly. What I really like about the laptop is its abundance of features and LOW price tag. The Core i3 CPU is pretty darn fast for most applications, and the 4GB of memory (which is DDR3, by the way) is plenty for me. It's nice to have bluetooth built in, and I'm glad they didn't skimp on the USB ports, either. The keyboard and mouse are both pretty decent. The integrated Intel graphics (which are actually built onto the i3 CPU die) are definitely NOT for intense gaming (sorry buddy, no Crysis), but they actually are fine for casual games and some older shooters. The GMA HD on the i3 proc is quite a bit faster than the last-gen 4500MHD, and it is roughly the same performance-wise as an nVidia 9300m GS. It runs FEAR smoothly on low settings, Half-Life 2 on max, and handles WOW just fine on medium. Obviously, simple games like Bejeweled and Zuma run perfectly, too.

So far, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a laptop this good for this price. I bought mine for $550, and I couldn't be happier. Then again, I haven't owned the laptop for very long, so I may still discover some major flaw. If so, I'll update my review. Otherwise, I highly recommend this laptop to everybody!

Buy Acer AS5740-5513 15.6-Inch Laptop (Blue) Now

I bought this laptop when it was on sale at office max recently for $480.00 plus tax. IT IS FANTASTIC!! the i3 processor is lightning fast, the LCD screen is excellent for streaming videos. beautiful picture. this laptop is built solid (it is heavy) which is ok for me since I never take it out of the house anyway. the shiny finish on the shell does show fingerprints, but really thats all I can say negative about this great machine!! I am not a gamer, I am a basic applications user (videos, emails etc etc) so this laptop more that fits the bill for my needs.the keyboard works great, the touchpad works like a charm. LOVE IT..!!! also...FYI..the store offered me the extended warranty.. 2 years for $200.00 extra!!! forget that...I bought an extended warranty right here at amazon (squaretrade warranties).. 3 years..includes accidents/spills/dropping..for $82.00!! another great deal from amazon..:)

Read Best Reviews of Acer AS5740-5513 15.6-Inch Laptop (Blue) Here

Okay, when I saw this laptop in an ad, I instantly fell in love with its performance vs price. It has the newest line of Intel CPU (the i3) and 4 GB of DDR3 RAM. This thing screams for the $500 I paid for it.

Win 7 gives the CPU a 6.2, which is by far the best laptop CPU I have owned. The graphics rating is 4.6 (Aero) and 5.3 (Gaming). Again, I have never had a laptop close to that. As stated before, it still won't run Crysis very well, if at all, but your mainstream casual games, it will play with ease.

Pros: i3, 4 GB DDR3, it connects to my wireless at 300 mpbs!!!! My new, as in got in in December, Acer Netbook, which claims to have N only connects at 54 mpbs, so when I saw that this one hit 300 mpbs, I about threw a party. It has HDMI out, VGA out, and 4 USB ports. Most 15.6" laptops only have 3 USB ports.

Cons: No Bluetooth, firewire, e-sata, and a 5400 RPM HDD. For me, it doesn't really matter. I have never had bluetooth, and never used firewire or e-sata, so it isn't like I will miss it. While I make the 5400 RPM HDD a con, for the average user, you won't even notice a difference. I have had laptops with both 5400 RPM and 7200 RPM HDDs and for everyday computing, which this thing is designed for, you will not notice a difference.

It has Intel Graphics, but they are considerably better than previous Intel graphics (again 4.6 and 5.3 experience ratings). The 1366x768 resolution is low since I went from a desktop to this, but I will manage.

All in all, if you can get this laptop for $500 plus tax, BUY IT! No other $500 laptop will touch it. I am very pleased with my purchase.

Want Acer AS5740-5513 15.6-Inch Laptop (Blue) Discount?

This laptop has a good specification for the price. Who would pay out anything without doing due diligence and knowing what you are going to get for your money? I personally check several sources when making purchases.

This laptop does the job for most everyday users.

I'm very happy with mine. I use it for fine art graphics and image manipulation, conferencing, average business functions, games and some schooling.

I'm a very experienced computer user; more than a so called "power user". The first thing I always do immediately after purchasing a new system is format, delete partitions, create new partition and install a fresh copy of my OS of choice. I like Win 7 64 bit, which this laptop comes loaded with, BUT THERE ARE NO DISCS INCLUDED!! Major mistake on ACER's part. The laptop is full of bloatware/nagware/etc. I know computer mfrs make money from software companies by installing this crap, but I hate it. I sent ACER an email concerning this, but not a response at all. I've heard bad things about ACER's lack of customer support and I'm beginning to believe it.

I did however get a good deal on this machine. $497.00 out the door sales tax and all. It's for my Daughter's graduation/birthday/beginning college. It's fast, 4gigs (New Intel i3/4 gigs 1066Mhz DDR3/1066 Front Side Bus/320 HDD/LED/etc. (see tech specs). I like the rounded blue case. Nice feeling keys/touch pad as well.

Not full (1080P) HD, however downloaded HD vids and DVDs look pretty good. This Aspire is not able to play today's top 3D games with full blown eye candy (but my Daughter is going into Pre-Law and not computer graphics :)

If bloatware and being unable to reload OS (with an included disc there are other ways however) is of importance to you, please be forwarned.

Read More >>

Acer AS5560-SB835 15.6-Inch Notebook Computer - Red

There is one other review on here and it sound like they got a dud. I got my computer after weeks of research for a laptop that was in my price range that could handle Diablo 3. And I am more than pleased. Not only is it cute (yes I said cute) but I take it to and from school and to and from work and never had an issue. The graphics card is more than up to the challenge of playing Diablo 3 beta (which was just opened) and would have no problem running WoW. I am amazed at the deal I got and would recommend this laptop to anyone. There is a reason they offer a warrenty because computers are like any thing else. Sometimes there is a dud and it sounds like that is what the other reviewer had.

Back to the laptop... it has dedicated memory for the graphics card that allows for play with no glitchs which is more than I can say about my desktop.

Overall a fantastic buy for the money and well worth it to the other college students out there who want to do more than just type on their laptop.

All excited when this came. Ordered it through Galactica (an Amazon store). First, the packaging made me nervous as it was in its factory box, no outer box to protect it. The computer is very good looking and has a nice keyboard. All happy until I turned it on, and got the blue screen of problems. Reboot and it starts to work. Then went to uninstall the first item of bloatware crash. Again reboot. Again crash. Got to the uninstall screen went to the next item.. Crash. Now I have to go through a 3 week process to get a credit. ugh. Really disappointed with Acer and really disappointed in myself for ordering it through this sub-store on Amazon.

Buy Acer AS5560-SB835 15.6-Inch Notebook Computer - Red Now

This has been a blessing!...I have had no problems since getting it 6 months ago...everything abt it is superb...I wld recommend to anyone wanting one... the color gets u the attention..Big Plus!!

Read Best Reviews of Acer AS5560-SB835 15.6-Inch Notebook Computer - Red Here

I love this laptop. Good sound, good picture, good photo program. I had another Acer and was quite happy with it. But I dropped it. The only bad thing is the Windows program and it's usual bazillion updates that will eventually slow your computer down to a snails pace.

Want Acer AS5560-SB835 15.6-Inch Notebook Computer - Red Discount?

Read More >>

Samsung NP-RV515-A02US 15.6-Inch Laptop

I just purchased one of these laptops yesterday, (1.28.2012). They were on sale at Tiger Direct for $350 + tax. I needed an Home Theater PC and this laptop was recommended to me, (by someone who was really into HTPC's), as a perfect fit for that application. The reason this laptop serves as a great HTPC is because of it's AMD, Dual Core Chip which separates Graphics section from the rest of the chip, it's also got the HDMI port built right into the side, so it's easy to hook up to your big screen LCD or LED. I am a Mac user, owning a Mac Book Pro an iPad and a couple of iPod touches, so generally speaking, I do not like machines with Windows operating systems on them. I have to say though, Windows 7 is a breeze to set up. I didn't have any of the issues that the other reviewer, (Edward Lan) had. The machine started up fine and took me through the setup process effortlessly. Based on Mr. Lan's review, I did not get into letting the operating system update, it did not ask, so I didn't go down that road. I plan on optimizing the machine to use it only as an HTPC, which means I will be stripping most all of the unnecessary programs off of it and it will sit next to the tv. I should note that I purchased the RV515 to replace a Logitech Revue, an Apple TV (2nd Generation) and a Sony BDP-S570, all of which did not provide an acceptable user experience when running the internet into a large LCD. The body of the unit is composed entirely of plastic, (in contrast to Mac which is rigid aluminum), so care needs to be taken when handling it. If you're planning on buying this laptop for a child, it would be great to have a rigid shell to use a cover or exoskeleton. I will probably end up buying a Square Trade warranty to cover it for 3 years. I'm very impressed with the unit, the software and ease of operation so far. As an HTPC, it's a perfect fit.

It is on sale at CompUSA (stores only) this week for $349. Add 8GB ram for only another $20. I am ecstatic this machine is a great value. I gave my iPad to my husband (it's his birthday today). I was not that impressed with the iPad; sure it's a glitzy way to surf the internet but if you have to actually USE a portable computer for anything beyond pleasure you need a REAL computer. The real turning point was when I discovered I couldn't even plug my iPod into the iPad to sync my iTunes? I need USB ports! This PC has 3.

I really appreciate that this PC was bloatware free.

Plus full size quiet keyboard. The Touchpad works similar to touchscreens. (If this was a touchscreen my world would be complete....)

If you buy a MS PC June-Dec 2012 you can upgrade to Win 8 Pro for only $14.99 when it is available.

If you need a new computer and are on a budget you can't go wrong with this one.

Buy Samsung NP-RV515-A02US 15.6-Inch Laptop Now

I love my new laptop. It is easy to use, its on the cheap side as for cost, but still an excellent computer. It came with Microsoft Office Starter, and it works awesome, loads slower than full Office and you have to deal with the advertisements, but great none the less. When my niece saw the laptop and how well it worked for me she asked me to order her one for college and she is very happy with hers also.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung NP-RV515-A02US 15.6-Inch Laptop Here

Super Fast Startup

I'm loving it!

Has very sensitive touchpad that I need to get used to when typing, and I have set up to use a wireless mouse.

Want Samsung NP-RV515-A02US 15.6-Inch Laptop Discount?

I bought this laptop for the price, and got what I paid for. 11 months after purchase the wifi card died. Two weeks later, the HDD crashes. I called Samsung customer support, and was told they don't warranty the wifi card, HDD, or other components because they don't actually manufacture them. Then I'm told I can send it in, and for only $100 they'll diagnose it. For more $$ they'll fix it for me. What a scam.

Read More >>

Apple MacBook White- 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR2 , 250GB SATA HD, Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)

I think it is very deceptive that in the description from Amazon, it states 4GB BUT it only comes with 1GB from the seller. How can you feel good about yourself and sell something so misleading BUT then the seller will sell you some more GB for extra money. I am sure that are several other things in it that I am not aware of. That is what I get for buying something like a computer from you! Really makes me think about buying anything from Amazon again. I have always in the past bought alot of Amazon but I am pissed!

il prodotto recentemente acquistato e ottimo in Italia non c'era con questa carateristiche sono contento di aver acquistato un prodotto negli USA in particolare su questo sito Azienda seria qualitativa ed affidabile vale la pena di acquistare perchè sai che l'azienda e affidabile ci vorebbero più aziende serie anche in Italia tra l'altro i prezzi sono più competitivi che io ho potuto riscontrare nel Web distinti saluti vincenzi.giuseppe@alice.it al più presto per altri acquisti grazie

Buy Apple MacBook White- 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR2 , 250GB SATA HD, Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) Now

Read More >>

Dell Inspiron 15 i15RV-6190BLK 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black Matte with Textured Finish)

As a college student on a budget, I really needed a computer that would do many tasks on the road without hurting the wallet. I have a prehistoric 7-8 year old Dell Dimension E510 desktop that is super slow. So, I made the decision to buy a laptop under $400 yet still faster than my desktop.

I set my eyes on this laptop from a local electronics store. I compared specs, from the size and weight, to the nitty features like the number of USBs. And so, here I have it.

Let's start off with the design.

The design of this notebook is, well, plastic. However, it isn't cheap plastic. The materials used are actually pretty good for its price point. The notebook is nice and rounded around the corners and the thickness of this notebook is about one inch. Now, most notebooks for this price point would be much thicker...Around 1.3in-1.4in, but Dell managed to squeeze everything in 1 inch. This is pretty darn good considering the tools this notebook provides. On the left side of the computer you have a headphone/microphone jack, 3 USB (2 USB 3.0) (1 USB 2.0), Ethernet, HDMI cable, and a power outlet. On the left side you have the optical drive and one more USB port (2.0). So the total amount of USBs this notebook has is 4. 4 USB ports, 2 of which are 3.0. USB 3.0 is relatively new for the market, and this allows much quicker transfer speeds compared to the 2.0s. However, most computers at this price point do not have USB 3.0s, or if they do, it would only be one or two. But keep in mind that this notebook has 4 USB ports. And at this price point, most if not all computers only have about 2 or 3. The optical drive is also a neat feature. For a 1 inch laptop that has an optical drive is pretty impressive considering the price. Most notebooks that are 1 inch or less usually skip the optical drive. Now, the bad thing about the thinness of this notebook is that it does not have a VGA port. You might need a HDMI to VGA port adapter for that. However, considering VGA's thickness and the thinness of notebooks that are coming out each year, VGA is bound to be obsolete due to the benefits of HDMI.

On the interior, the notebook has a LARGE track pad. And this is good especially when it is running on windows 8 (I'll get to that later).

Below the track pad, there are two left and right buttons. These buttons feel and sound cheap but that is not to be unexpected. When running, the track pad get quite warm. You really can't fault the computer for this because this is a one inch notebook. Since the ram sticks are essentially below the track pad, prepare yourself to have warm fingers. The keyboard is an island style keyboard that are evenly spaced. The key travel is okay. After writing a 5-6 page essay. It's also got a 10 key number pad. However, I do wish that number lock had a tiny light located on the button like the caps lock does. As I'm typing, I sometimes reach over to the number lock while attempting to backspace. One minor complaint is keyboard flex towards the F8-F10 keys, not a big deal since these keys aren't often used. Also, like other reviewer have mentioned before. This computer has a sharp lip. As you are typing, the sharp lip is somewhat irritating. Doesn't hurt to take out a fine grit sand paper is smooth out that lip.

Lastly, the spacing between the keys have a glossy finish. I notice that this attracts dust and requires occasional cleaning.

As for the hardware,

You get 500gb of storage but only 456gb of that storage is usable (the non-usable storage has to be used for the operating system. It runs on 4gb of ram and although it is sufficient, you may want to upgrade to 6 or 8 gigs of ram as you load more programs. But if you're an average web browser, 4 gigs is good enough. To just give you a idea at idle, it is using about 46% of the computers ram. The computer has one extra slot. Downside is that this computer only supports up to 8 gigs of ram DDR3 PC-12800 (you can't fault Dell for the 8GB of max ram since the processor can only handle 8GB). Upside is that when you throw in that extra ram slot, it will give you extra performance due to the dual channel configuration. After removing all the bloatware and Windows finally settled in after dozens of updates this notebook starts up well under a minute. Considering a startup to be when the computer starts to idle.

-by the way, uninstall the additional trial anti-virus. Windows 8 already has Defender and so that antivirus will just eat up your resources, I think it comes with Kaspersky or McAfee-

The operating system,

Now, I'm coming from Windows XP and 7, to be honest...Windows 8 is actually pretty cool. However, if you're an old geezer who likes the traditional interface, Win 8 probably wouldn't be a great option. Anyway, the big benefit of this laptop that allows you to enjoy Windows 8 without the use of a touch screen is the large track pad. This Dell has a 4 and 1/2 inch track pad and using multi gestures features makes it extremely easy.

Of course, you can always disable the Windows 8 start up and have it behave like Windows 7. (Look up Windows 8 RetroUI) Other than that, the OS would definitely benefit with a touch screen but without it the system is still enjoyable.

Battery life,

On a full charge, I get around three to four hours of regular internet browsing.

Now for the thinness of this laptop, this computer has a 4 cell battery vs the 6 cell that are in most laptops. Under intense radio loading such as streaming, it will drop to 2 hours...Maybe 3. Keep in mind; you do not want to torture your batteries. The lithium ion batteries used in modern laptops do not like to be charged and discharged abruptly. So make sure you cycle your battery every now and then. But, I'm willing to sacrifice 2 cells for a thinner and lighter laptop than have a big and heavy 6 cell.

Screen:

15.6 inches, 1366x768 glossy.

Screen resolution isn't an issue here since most laptops--especially at this price point, have this type of resolution. The problem I commonly have is the viewing angles. This Dell uses a TNF panel, which is offers a distortion of colors when it isn't at the right angle.

As for the glossy finish, well, it sucks. It still amazes me why computer corporations still use a glossy finish. The glossy finish and the bad viewing angles makes it somewhat of an unpleasant experience.

The WLED screen is bright but the colors could use more saturation.

Webcam:

It is equipped with a 1 megapixel camera.

After using Skype, the picture quality is pretty good.

If I compared it with my other Lenovo G560 which has a 0.3 megapixel camera, the difference is like light and day.

Processor

Okay, so it doesn't have TurboBoost or 4-way processing.

I have using an Intel Pentium Processor on a Lenovo notebook on Windows 7 and it's pretty good. It gets through most tasks however you must know your limitations.

Considering the computers size, weight, and battery configuration, the processor is clocked at 1.8ghz on dual core. I have previously used a Pentium 4 @ 3GHz (a single core processor) and this laptop is significantly faster considering the dual core. Out of box, it scored a 4.7 on the Windows Experience Index. After everything got settled in with the way I liked it, it dropped to a 4.6. Using my way of testing the processor speed, I calculated Pi (Using SuperPi) to one million digits and it did it in 21 seconds. Not bad considering my Dell Desktop does it in 43 seconds... It handles HD streaming off YouTube without problems however when you stream in 720p you CPU usage hovers around 40-60%. Yet, doesn't give you a lot of room of other tasks.

Gaming? Well, not much. Don't expect to play WoW or Crisis. It should handle basic games.

I was able to play RuneScape on the highest screen settings (other than full screen) with the use of their client rather than the browser. The CPU usage hovers around 80-90%. Game play was still smooth considering it is a 3D game. However, with 80-90% usage, again, does not leave much room for other tasks.

It's portable, offers a large track pad, good keys, and is loaded with 4 USBs and an optical drive @ just one inch. Overall, this is a great laptop but I wouldn't consider this to be a everyday user. (I use it as a primary since I'm coming from a prehistoric computers, in fact this computer is twice as fast than my old desktop) The processor is the caveat. If you have the option, go for their higher end "i Series" of Intel Core Processors.

-UPDATE-

I reran the Windows Experience Index (WEI) and it jumped from a 4.6 to a 5.1. I guess Windows obtained a better score after removing bloatware and installing the latest drivers. Additionally, a dual channel RAM configuration will allow a slight bump in graphics performance.

So here are the subscores that the WEI came up with:

Processor: 5.9

Memory (RAM): 7.7

Save 15% Off

Read More >>

Toshiba Satellite L775D-S7330 17.3-Inch LED Laptop - Brushed Aluminum Blue

I have owned this laptop for about 4 days now. I did a lot of research to make sure I found a laptop that I could do multiple things. From office work to light Gamming (Guild Wars) including some poker.

Anyway, I owned (still own) a Dell laptop that I have had for about 4 years, I had already maxed the memory and I didn't want to go through the expense of upgrading hard drive.

My fiancé bought a similar Toshiba laptop just like this one but it's a intel icore 3.

I checked hers out and I was hooked. Now I wanted to get something with a little more processer power but without breaking the bank. I choose the AMD Quad core A6. And I'm so glad I did.

This laptop is AWESOME Screen size speed smooth blue finish and everything Dolby sound, blue tooth the works.

I didn't get to buy it here at Amazon though which I would have if I didn't find it on sale at Brandsmart USA.

The laptop is worth it. I don't normally right reviews but I just had to give my input on this laptop. For what it's worth to you ...I would highly recommend it.

Nice job TOSHIBA!!

Purchased this laptop based on the feature rich specs and great price. I got everything I expected. Great display, fast quad core processor, plenty of RAM. Good battery life for the size as well. Toshiba built another winner here. With all the known Intel core i7 issues people are having, it was between an AMD A6 or Intel i5 processor for me. At about 100 bucks less than the i5 this machine is every bit as good if not a better performer on all the tests I have run. I get great frame rates on my games too.

Buy Toshiba Satellite L775D-S7330 17.3-Inch LED Laptop - Brushed Aluminum Blue Now

I never write reviews but wow. I am amazed at the performance of this laptop! I just got it today. I am a gamer and was looking for something that was a good price and a good performer. This computer is way over my expectations. My first test was skyrim.. When I started it up it recommended High settings (8xAA and 8xAF)! I did not believe it but gave it a shot. It loaded the game in about 7-10 seconds and was perfectly smooth. I closed the game and had to write this review. This A6 processor is amazing AMD really did a great job. Intel cannot touch this for the price. Well as a matter of fact they can't even touch the versatility of this processor at all. If you are on a budget and do not want to spend over $1000 for a gaming laptop get this laptop. You will not be disappointed at all.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite L775D-S7330 17.3-Inch LED Laptop - Brushed Aluminum Blue Here

Very easy set-up. Product is as exactly as expected. Past experiences with Toshiba lap-tops lead us to this product and it is on track to keep our loyalty to the brand.

Want Toshiba Satellite L775D-S7330 17.3-Inch LED Laptop - Brushed Aluminum Blue Discount?

So far everything is running fantastic...Does NOT have the "fast clock" issue.

Nice display...Quality sound...Great features...

The blue brushed aluminum is nice, but darker than the web photos show.

Read More >>

Toshiba Satellite A505D-S6008 TruBrite 16.0-Inch Laptop (Black/Silver)

Great things about the Satelite:

+ 16" wide screen display it's beautiful

+ Fast, starts up in a couple of seconds and no waiting on your apps

+ Huge 500GB hard drive.

+ Windows 7, I wasn't expecting much, but no problems, runs without issues

+ Microsoft Office, installed, free for 60 days

+ Huge high quality speakers, this machine is music and movie ready.

+ Attractive

+ A little heavy but not bad for its size.

+ Toshiba is very reliable

+ Motion detector locks the hard drive in place when it detects the laptop is being jostled around.

Could be better:

> Light above track pad too bright

> Keys are LOUD

> Norton installed and bugs you about paying every time you log on

Overall, this is a great laptop. SOme of the display lights are a little bright and the keypad is noisy. I can forgive that though because this laptop is so fast. I'm never waiting anymore. Windows 7 is proving to be very reliable and easy to use.

Initially, the touch pad was "helping" me and this was really annoying. To turn off some of the trackpad features that do things for you: Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound, under the Devices and Printers section click on Mouse. Another dialog pops up, CLick on the Device Settings tab, then on the Settings button. From there you can set up the touch pad the way you want it.

I upgraded my laptop to a 12 cell battery and that battery lasts about 7 or 8 hours. If you can afford the extra battery, it's worth it. THe 12 cell does take about 2 hours to charge though.

My friends who work in computer repair say they get less Toshibas in the shop than any other brand and highly recommend them.

Buy a large laptop case to carry it in. It will not fit in a standard size case.

Norton is slow and a pain, I uninstalled it and installed Vipre.

Review for the A505-S6004

This laptop looks great out of the box and you will be pleasantly surprised by the speed at which windows 7 boots initially. The screen is properly bright and the speakers do a wonderful job for the size that they are. It is not until you start to use it that you will notice the inherent drawbacks that its beauty hides.

First thing you will notice is that this thing attracts fingerprints so quickly its not funny. Just typing this review alone and I am sure the police will get a full set of prints if they needed it. :)

The next problem i noticed while on msn live messenger. As soon as you start up your webcam, you can see where they saved money in putting this thing together. Its aesthetically pleasing to have a webcam that is built "flush" into the lid but they threw all the functionality of it right out the window. I'm not exaggerating here....THE WEBCAM IS THAT BAD; it has so much noise and no colour correctness AT ALL. You will appear like a Vampire to the person who is receiving your webcam feed. My girlfriend has one of the L505D models from toshiba which is cheaper than this model but the webcam in her's is at least 3 times better.

What this model lacks in webcam clarity and resistance to finger prints it makes up for with Battery life. Switching this thing to "eco" mode takes off the LEDs lighting the touch sensitive media control buttons and the "SATELLITE" logo, and also dims the backlight on the screen. In this mode it will achieve roughly 3 1/2 hrs battery life, give or take a couple of minutes depending on the work your doing. The L505D can barely manage past 2 1/2 hrs on battery.

In short

THE Pros:

+ Good Battery Life

+ Good Sound

+ Great Value for the money

+ Bright Glossy Display (its a Pro for me)

+ Piano Black Fusion Finish Looks great

+ 500GB Hard drive (only 426 free initially; that's still alot)

THE Cons:

Bad Webcam (don't even think about this machine for "Social Notworking")

Finger Print Magnet (Piano black finish just shows up every little finger print or scratch)

Buy Toshiba Satellite A505D-S6008 TruBrite 16.0-Inch Laptop (Black/Silver) Now

Just picked this up at Best Buy for $679 and got to say my only complaint is that the keyboard is a little too loud and the touch-pad is deafening, but an easy feature on the bottom of the keyboard can disable the touch-pad with a click of a button. No hunting around windows 7 to try and figure out. The webcam is so so, but I never use it so i don't care.

It runs quietly, the i3 processor speed you will notice upon the first boot up and all in all after three days I am very pleased with it.

The battery life is excellent as well and I agree with the other 4 reviews. It is a great computer at now even a better price.

And no warranty for me sir. Biggest waste of money ever to spend anything on an asset that depreciates as fast as a laptop.

4 1/2 stars.

Of course right after my price protection ended this laptop is now on sale for 599. You can't beat that price anywhere for what this computer does.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite A505D-S6008 TruBrite 16.0-Inch Laptop (Black/Silver) Here

Toshiba Satellite A505-S6004 TruBrite 16.0-Inch Laptop (Black/Silver)

After several months researching various options available at Amazon.com I decided to stick with Toshiba. A friend of mine had seriously recommended that I should buy an Acer, but the more I researched the more I was impressed with Toshiba, especially in terms of reliability. Since my own experience with Toshiba was so positive once I had decided to stick with the brand I knew, it was a matter of which one. My reason for buying a new one was that I'd had my Toshiba Satellite since 2003 or 2004 -can't remember which and technology had definitely moved on. But that machine is still working, all be it slow.

Well, I have not regretted my decision at all. Many of the negatives reported by other reviews I have found not faults at all. The keyboard, for example is not too loud for me -in fact it is perfect for my touch. One thing that does drive me nuts is the touchpad: when I am surfing it is so sensitive that it keeps scrolling down the page and back up again at what seems like warp speed. (I think somebody in the reviews may have found out how to fix this, so I much look and see if I can find it.)This machine boots up so fast -quite an improvement that the 10 to 15 minutes it took my old machine!

Back to deciding which one to go with. Initially, I planned to go with a 15.6 inch screen -mainly because that was what I was used to and also because there were some really good deals price-wise. However, I couldn't find one in the price range with 4 USB ports and I also wanted an HDMI port. It still amazes me what I can get for around $700 considering I paid $1200 for my old and antiquated machine. The computer looks beautiful, but fingerprints are an annoying problem. Also it's lighter than my old laptop, which is a pleasant surprise.

I've had the machine since April 10th so I am still on a learning curve as how things work and what I can do. But so far it's all worked like magic. I've talked to my son on Skype and he lives in Korea. Some people have complained about the quality of the webcam and my son has told me on one occasion that the picture was not that great and then the next time that it was really clear! My son in Italy said it was great. So what can I tell you -is it the Internet connection or is it the camera. I really like having it and it's worked seamlessly. And it's absolutely true that the wireless connection works right out of the box. I often download tv programs that I've missed and the quality of the picture is as if watching the tv. I should add that I'm American and had the machine delivered to my mother's, but I live in the UK and have been using it here since the end of April. No problems have arisen as a result of being in a different country.

I am going to have to replace a lot of software, which is an expensive negative. I've used Microsoft Office Professional 2000 for years and Adobe 5 and Paint Shop Pro 9 -all will have to be replaced. However, I am experimenting with Open Office software which is free and so far has been great. Having said that I am using the trial version of Office Professional 2007 mostly because I really needed Outlook. So the question is will I just buy Outlook and go with Open Office.

I do like Windows 7, the software that comes with the computer has been adequate so far. I use the movie maker software a lot and was pleased that it could improve the quality of some of my little homemade videos -the kind you can make with either a cell phone or digital camera. Also a nice little scanning/faxing program that has made it very easy for me to scan and email. I was able to make a DVD of some photographs for my husband, but was not able to figure out how to find/use the lable/flash program that I thought was part of the package -the one that is supposed to print directly onto the disc.

Glad to say my old 2179 HP printer was no problem to install and works perfectly. I was sure I would have to get a new one so that was a nice surprise.

All in all, with 6 weeks ownership in hand I am thrilled with this laptop.

Want Toshiba Satellite A505D-S6008 TruBrite 16.0-Inch Laptop (Black/Silver) Discount?

Just got it and love it..First time user of Toshiba and its great. Always bought dell with their small hard drives and dumb graphics. I turned to Toshiba mainly because it was a bigger hard drive. I got 640GB and 4GB ram. I didn't even know the keyboard lights up. Its great. The mini touch screen music buttons comes in handy too. I love Windows 7. Another well done job Microsoft. Well the camera is not so good but what the heck.. You dont need it buy an external web cam. Shuts down fast and boots up fast to. Toshiba face recognition is great.

Read More >>