Dell Latitude D630 14.1-Inch Notebook PC - Silver

I bought this laptop directly from dell Financial Services auction on ebay. I did not even know that they have it here on Amazon Marketplace too. Even though the description said manufacturer refurbished the laptop I received looked like new. It came with power adapter and a Dell Windows XP Reinstallation CD and built in Intel PROSet Wireless Card. Absolutely no bloatware is included.

Now this may not be a top of the line machine but it is pretty adequate for home and school or even Small Home Office use. The neat part is that once you boot up the machine for the first time it would automatically install Windows XP after going through some preliminary steps. It even gives you option to enter setup and configure things but you are better off leaving the machine alone to do its thing and install windows XP or whichever operating system it is bundled with unless you're techie. Once windows finishes installation you can pretty much install anything you want. I have so far installed Open Office, MS Office 2003, Firefox, Chrome, Avast Anti Virus, Trusteer Rapport security Software and many other productivity softwares and the machine boots up and runs smoothly.

It does not come with webcam so I installed Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000 and Microsoft Lifecam Cinema and either camera runs smoothly even on HD modes. I use Lifecam Cinema more often because it's stand is perfect fit for D630 bezel as opposed to the Quickcam Pro 9000's stand which tend to wobble.

I will advise you buy this laptop directly from Dell either here on Amazon Marketplace or on ebay where it is listed under Dell_Financial_Services. You will likely receive a laptop that will be like new but more importantly you will get 30 days warranty.

This laptop is of right price, size and specs: 14" bright LCD, 2GB Ram, 80GB harddisk space and 2GHZ Intel Dual Core processor that is more than adequate for most home, school and or Small Home Office use. It is sturdy and sleek looking too.

There is one thing that Dell scrimped on here: the tiny single speaker that is barely audible! I use an external Frisby USB laptop Speakers. I also use headphone when I am on the road. It is worthy to note that this tiny speaker belies a powerful sound card that only becomes apparent when you put on a headphone.

NB: Don't forget to switch on the wireless radio or you will not be able to use the wifi connection. The switch is on same side and next to the headphone jack. It is switched off by default. Once you switch it on it will detect a bunch of wifi hot spots including yours, if any. Select your SSID from the displayed options and enter your router's WEP Key and you will be good to go. I have at&t 2WIRE Wireless Gateway and the WEP Key is the ten digit number directly below the serial number located on the side or bottom of the router depending on whether it is standing vertically or lying on it's side. The built in wireless card is powerful. I highly recommend this laptop to anyone who may be on budget but not willing to compromise on quality and performance.

I got this laptop in a timely manner and it appears to be in excellent shape. However, when I had problems and called Dell tech support, they told me that the laptop owner had not transferred the laptop to me. Thus, I am unable to get help! I have contacted the seller requesting assistance with this, but have not heard back. When buying a laptop, be sure you get the ownership transferred to you.

Buy Dell Latitude D630 14.1-Inch Notebook PC - Silver Now

I bought two of these. The first one was in excellent condition, really impressive for a "refurb". So when hubby murdered his laptop by spilling a drink into it, I thought this D630 would be the perfect replacement for him. When it arrived, we were both a bit disappointed. It functions correctly but has a loose lid/screen that can wobble and some sticking keys and generally looks quite used. He's satisfied enough to keep it, partly because he doesn't want to be without one for any length of time, and partly because we've had positive experiences with off-lease Dells in the past even if they have a wart or two.

My personal disappointment was that after receiving the first one, I expected the same level of quality from the second one because at that time, it was sold by Amazon -not a marketplace refurb seller where you can never be sure of what you'll get until you open the box.

Read Best Reviews of Dell Latitude D630 14.1-Inch Notebook PC - Silver Here

If you buy one of these refurbished computers be sure to buy the warranty. The one I purchased only lasted 46 days which is 16 days past the 30 day return period. It quit working and it needs new screen ($600.00) and new battery. I didn't notice that you could buy a warranty when I bought it so I just wasted $300.00. Be sure you buy the warranty!

Want Dell Latitude D630 14.1-Inch Notebook PC - Silver Discount?

I,ve been a pc tech for 20 years and my dell d630 is awsome the keyboard is a little worn but got one off of amazon for 18 dollars also i added 4gb of ram. Had to get a new harddrive i had the warranty but the sent me a new one quicly with no fuse or trouble my only regret is paying double from tigerdirect instead of buying from amazon i know next time.

Read More >>

TP R400 C2D/2.53 14.1W 2G-160GB DVDR WLS CAM WVB

I purchased this laptop two years ago and it has been running great ever since. The Lenovo R400 is designed for durability, and performance. It is a great choice for programmers, and professionals who need an affordable laptop to get their work done. I mostly use my laptop for school work, writing, editing and this laptop goes above and beyond.

The touchpad is large, responsive and comfortable to use. I have also used it for CPU resource-intensive programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Dreamweaver. The sound quality is excellent and I haven't had any problems with it. The most amazing thing about this laptop is its spill-proof keyboard which drains liquids away from the internal components. I have twice accidentally spilled coca-cola and the laptop has survived beautifully. My Thinkpad R400 has endured its fair share of knocks and rough treatment without coming to any harm so for that I give this laptop a 5/5.

The only thing that I can consider a disadvantage of the Thinkpad R400 is that it's quite heavy and can get annoying to cary in places. It has a nice CPU (Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz) which can handle pretty much everything you throw at it including some light games. It also has enough ram (4GB) which is more than enough these days for intensive applications. My laptop came with a 160GB HDD but I have upgraded it to a Samsung 830 128GB SSD and it flies like the wind. It also has a nice DVD burner which I use quite a lot. The battery is decent, not the best but it gets the job done. For me it lasts around 2hrs with half brightness. I'm still using this laptop and it has never slowed down.

Read More >>

HP Pavilion g6-1d73us 15.6" Laptop (2.30 GHz Intel Core i3-2350M Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard D

The seller is wonderful to work with and communicates very effectively. I would definately buy from the seller again. the product is better than advertised. the altec lansing speakers are good. this was bought for a high school student. the wireless features work well, as does everything else. overall this is a great product for the price.

i Love HP, i would never ever buy another brand. They last forever, they are fast enough for what i need, which is basical software, and they look very modern

Buy HP Pavilion g6-1d73us 15.6" Laptop (2.30 GHz Intel Core i3-2350M Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard D Now

I bought a G6-1d73us in July 2012, feeling confident I'd get a phenomenal PC for the price (since I like HP products and have been a devoted customer for years). The laptop has good specs and is definitely a step up from my last HP laptop (whose processor is out of date and too slow to accommodate my current needs). This G6 met my expectations EXCEPT for one thing: I've noticed a substantial decrease in the quality of the sound / audio since July (quality that seems to decrease daily). It's been 6 months and I can't even watch or listen to anything without my headphones on. Without the headphones, the sound is so dim one can barely hear anything (even when there's no other phonic distraction in the background). It's a huge inconvenience for me to have to send it back to the manufacturer for repair. My warranty hasn't expired yet, thankfully; I'd be even more frustrated if this had happened to me post-warranty. After a bit of research online, I discovered that many people had encountered this problem --probably a hardware malfunction (and not a driver problem). Had I known my sound would die in a matter of months, I wouldn't have purchased this particular model.

Read Best Reviews of HP Pavilion g6-1d73us 15.6" Laptop (2.30 GHz Intel Core i3-2350M Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard D Here

Read More >>

Dell Inspiron 14" Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 2450M Processor, 6 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, Windo

I read 3 or 4 computer websites about the Dell Inspiron 14z before purchasing on Amazon, and my experience is in line with those reviews. (I ordered the model with i5 processor/6 GB of RAM). My family has several other Dell Inspiron 14-inch laptops; this is our first 14z. (And Dell, if you're reading this, I really wanted to buy another 14R, but the switchable lids make it feel cheap. It's a computer, not a toy). Anyway, back my review:

Good:

Lightweight and thin, yet sturdy

Very good processor speed (probably worth getting the i5)

Accessible keyboard

Three USB ports

Bright, clear screen

1 year of McAfee

Windows 7

Could be better:

Port covers are not necessary and get in the way

The mouse buttons take a lot of effort to "click" (and as such, I would not recommend this computer for a small child)

Does not have the Power DVD software common to previous Dell laptops I've purchased

And, unfortunately, includes a lot of software you probably won't want. The first 30 minutes of using this computer was a struggle among all the various "helpful" programs all simultaneously expecting to be registered, activated and/or updated. A "Nero" program was particularly annoying and could not be turned off, only minimized; I wound up uninstalling it altogether.

Surface areas easily show fingerprints

I would have liked to add the optional backlit keyboard, but it is only available on the top-of-the-line 14z model for $200 more

All in all, a good value, and I estimate I saved $60 buying from Amazon rather than direct from Dell.

Short story: Stay way. I have had multiple problems with this laptop and Dell support can not fix said problems.

I needed a laptop for school that could handle CAD programs, handle computational programs, have a good battery, and be portable. At the time my Toshiba Satellite had lasted me a good 4 years but the hard drive was becoming spotty and the battery life was decreasing. I decided to upgrade and after a little looking around I decided on the Dell Inspiron 14z. It looked good for a decent price. I quickly received the laptop from Amazon and the Dell was considerably faster than my previous Toshiba, a lot lighter, and the battery life was almost double. After a month of owning it I discovered that the microphone did not work with Skype or Google Chat. I guessed this problem was around since I bought the laptop. I was still in school at the time so I waited until summer to get it fixed. In July I contacted customer support via online chat help. After over an hour of diagnosis it was determined that my laptop motherboard was defective and I needed to send it in. This is what I had been afraid of, but since it was summer I could be without the laptop for a couple weeks to get it fixed.

Dell sent the package very quickly and then called me every step to let me know what was happening. A little too much in my opinion but it was good to know it would be done quickly. I then received the laptop back from Dell. I turned it on and first tested the microphone and it worked, problem solved. Not too fast, I was reloading my files that I had backed up and noticed that on 'Computer' window that my laptop said it only had 4GB of RAM. As in the description it came with 6GB of RAM when it was new. I opened up the back panel and saw that there was a 4GB RAM stick in the slot. I then popped out the keyboard to check the other slot and found out there was no RAM in RAM slot. I was hoping that it was something I could fix, but I was not so lucky. I called Dell again and told them my problem, it was pretty obvious and customer support said they would send the 2GB RAM stick.

I received the RAM within the next week, opened the keyboard again and put in the recently sent RAM. I then go to turn on the computer and it starts beeping at me (repetitive 3 beeps). I took out both RAM units and tried the new RAM unit in the slop on the back of the laptop, everything worked and computer booted up. Then tried the 4GB RAM in the keyboard slot, didn't workbeeps again. Time to call Dell again. I told them my problem and after a lengthy conversation they said they would fix the problem after I would send it in. Frustrated that they didn't fix it and annoyed that I wouldn't be able to use it for a more time, my only option was to send it in. I sent it in late-August. While the laptop was out for repairs I see a deal at Dell online that with a promo code the 14z laptop costs $500 with a $75 gift card to Dell. Which BEFORE the gift card, is $80 less than I had paid in April. And I had only used it for half of the available time due to issues.

Dell replaced the motherboard again and after a hold for parts I received it back mid-September. Finally, and just before school starts again my laptop is here and ready to go. Within 12 hours I discover yet another problem. The sound is not working either from speaker or headphone jack. I called them again. After running a couple of tests they confirmed that the speakers did not work. They wanted me to send in the laptop again. I really didn't want to, school was starting and it seems this fixing process has not worked before. I let the technician and his manager know my disgust asked for a new laptop because fixing it did not work the past 2 times. After a while of back and forth they couldn't do that. I then asked for the difference in cost since I was not able to use it for the entire summer. But it ended in that they can't and all they can do is service it in warranty. This fix will have the 4th motherboard installed for this laptop, not so random. It is so frustrating. Dell is completely wasting my time and can not fix a problem. I also asked them how they can be sure it is fixed completely but all I got was the same-as-always `we will run tests'-which have not worked in the past. What if the problem is not fixed? I will just be going through this song and dance again.

I would stay as far away from Dell as you can. This is an unacceptable product and service. I know problems occur but at such a large company, they should have ways to check that products are fixed correctly. I have been with out a laptop for 3 months at the moment and it's just going to get longer. School is starting and I will be without my laptop. A complete waste of time and money.

Buy Dell Inspiron 14" Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 2450M Processor, 6 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, Windo Now

I bought this laptop for my wife to use for her daily use such as email and watching videos. Let's just say that for the price, it can't be beat. It comes with Windows 7 Home, a Core i5-2450M and 6 GB of RAM. I felt that it was just the right size at 14" ... not too big and not too small. It also still has a DVD/CD drive.

When I was researching laptops, I was on the fence of getting a laptop with an i3 processor or an i5 processor. I had to pay a little more, but I felt that it would still be a pretty decent laptop a few years for now.

The i3 processor is only a dual core, while the i5 is a quad core. Also it comes with 6 GB of RAM -most laptops only come with 4 GB in this price range. I haven't tried it for gaming yet, but when I get a chance, I'll try installing Diablo 3 and revise my review. I have no doubt that this laptop should be able to handle it. Maybe not at the best settings, but good enough to play without any issues.

Initial setup was like any laptop. A few registration prompts, but nothing major. If you've owned a laptop before, setting this up should be simple enough.

Somethings that I found annoying is the default Dell application that handles your media and movies. I had to manually set it so that it doesn't open up. I'll try to post pics later. Also I hate the fact that it has covers on the USB ports because it doesn't really open up all the way and it ruins the convenience factor.

Overall I feel that this is a little power house with great features that should last for awhile before I think about upgrading.

5/28/12 UPDATE

I installed Diablo 3 and it runs fine with the default settings minus the anti aliasing. It did have that display driver out of date message after I installed it, but ran it with the default hardware and it's ok. No problems. CPU usage around 10% and physical memory about 36% if that helps out.

I just noticed that the battery angles the laptop a little more than usual so it allows better airflow and keeps it cooler on the table. This really helps out because I noticed the fan blowing harder when playing Diablo 3.

Read Best Reviews of Dell Inspiron 14" Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 2450M Processor, 6 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, Windo Here

This is the worst computer I have ever used. The hard drive failed within the first month, and I had to get it replaced. The track pad is of horrific quality, and the computer struggles with basics like connecting to the internet. The absolute worst computer I have EVER used. Don't know how Dell gets away selling these things. Will NEVER buy a Dell again. Avoid at ALL costs. 500 dollars down the drain.

Want Dell Inspiron 14" Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 2450M Processor, 6 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive, Windo Discount?

Great performance for the price. Buttons are responsive, contrary to previous reviews. i5 and 6G RAM, can't go wrong for the price. Shipped fast.

Read More >>

Apple 13.3" MacBook Air dual-core Intel Core i7 2.0GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB Flash Storage, Intel HD Grap

First of all, it took me a few weeks just to decide I wanted the 13" Retina MacBook Pro or this one, in the end, I went with this one. Here's why:

1) It's $150 cheaper!

2) It has twice the storage, 128GB vs256GB.

3) Same amount of ram

4) Much lighter/thinner

For me, those are all fairly important, plus, I just love Mac OS X, and would never even think of using anything else. The performance difference between the maxed out MacBook Air, and the 13" retina isn't that much, and the screen isn't worth the extra cost plus decreased storage. All in all, i love this little gem of a laptop, and it's much, much better then my old late 2007 white MacBook! (Though, that still works great for the basics.)

What can I say about this product? It's awesome!

Very fast. the ssd HD really does a good job with speed.

Buy Apple 13.3" MacBook Air dual-core Intel Core i7 2.0GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB Flash Storage, Intel HD Grap Now

Loving my new MBA. Super-fast. Very responsive. It's like the sports car of the notebook world. I did upgrade to this version with the 8gb of ram and am happy I did. I'll be mostly using this computer for work purposes doing graphic design with a little video and sound editing mixed in. I'm always listening to streaming music and so far this MBA is kicking some serious butt. Great experience thus far.

Read Best Reviews of Apple 13.3" MacBook Air dual-core Intel Core i7 2.0GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB Flash Storage, Intel HD Grap Here

I have had a personal computer since my first Apple II+ back in 1981. I worked my way up through several macs, starting with a whopping 128K Ram version. I left Apple in the early 1990s because of 3 factors: 1)The OS: Too many times the "solution" for program conflicts was a "clean restart". Meaning essentially start over with a re-formatted hard drive. 2)Apple stuff was only sold in Apple stores and was way more expensive than PC stuff. 3)Windows had progressed to the point it was almost as friendly as the mac.

I am very happy I switched back. It was time for a new computer to replace my 3 year old Toshiba PC. I read a book on Windows 8 and decided it is not for me. I do real work (email, personal accounting, Internet, word processing).....very little in the way of media. I have a tablet I use for emphasizing that kind of stuff and did not want/need my main computer to look like my tablet. The book explained how I could supposedly make windows 8 look like I wanted but it was so full of workarounds I decided on the Mac.

I bought the 256GB Air upgraded to 8 GB Ram and a Core i7 processor. i also purchased an external optical drive.....$70 on Amazon.

I had compared the Mac Pro and its Retina display in Best Buy. The kicker over to the Air was that I couldn't in any way justify/use the Retina display for my purposes, and I didn't need more than a 13" screen. When at my desktop I use an external monitor.

What I like:

Size and weight of course....It fits in my briefcase very well alongside my 10" tablet.

Fast.....it reboots in way under a minute. My old Win 7 machine sent me for at least one more cup of coffee. In fact the Solid State Storage drive is most likely the responsible reason for the speed so I cannot even be sure of the speed contribution from the extra Ram and processor.

The plus of the SSSD is that because you aren't spinning a disk you get better battery life (I haven't experiment with that, so no data) and also you don't have to worry about mechanical damage to the disk....vibration, etc.

Clean User Interface. Somehow Apple makes it seem cleaner and there is no missing functionality as far as my use is concerned. Accessing more obscure functions/options can sometimes be a little challenging but they are all there eventually. Most of these kinds of things are one-time settings.

Apple made the migration from Windows 7 pretty easy. I used an Ethernet cable with a Apple Thunderbolt adapter as hardware, Apple's free Migration Assistant as software. I initially tried the usb cable/software from StarTech but I could not make that work. Thanks Amazon for the easy return.

Be aware: Migration Assistant creates another user on your mac. I have made that user my main login and eventually will delete the original user the initial setup created.

Built in Bluetooth. I had it on my Toshiba but even Toshiba couldn't help me get it working, so I was tied into a dongle. The Mac's bluetooth works. I bought a bluetooth mouse and goodbye dongle.

Apple Support is totally 5 star. In the 2 or 3 times I have needed to get live help it has been less than 2 minutes to talk with someone live. Someone whose English is unaccented. Do not be daunted by their call-you-back system. The callbacks have been within a minute or two.

Apple UI writing makes you smile, I swear. For instance, instead of a "Send Mail" button it has a paper airplane icon. When the mail goes out it makes a swishing sound. Ok, stupid but it still gets my smile out. For another instance, when a download comes in the screen shows a ball-like icon flashing across the screen and going into the "download stack" in the "Dock"...the line across the bottom of the screen with app links, etc.

I haven't done anything with any other stacks but I think the idea is you can group files or apps into a stack without cluttering the dock. So a stack would be the equivalent of a folder on your Dock. "Home stuff" "Work Stuff: etc.

What I don't like:

Some things don't change. Apple has to have its proprietary connections (power, display, thunderbolt) of course. Expensive of course.

An inserted SD card sticks out from the Air case maybe half way. I wouldn't advise transporting an Air with an sd card inserted.

And of course the price. But since none of the don't likes were news to me I can't take a star away.

It's not really Apple's fault but the version of Quicken for mac is really crippled. Do your research first to see if it will do what you want. yes, you can always load up a Windows partition and run the real quicken but I am trying to avoid that

Want Apple 13.3" MacBook Air dual-core Intel Core i7 2.0GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB Flash Storage, Intel HD Grap Discount?

This MAC works great. Screen is terrific. Battery life is terrific. Boot up is quick. Keyboard and touchpad are excellent. Performance is as good as I have seen. I am not the primary user, but the primary user is all smiles.

Read More >>

Toshiba Satellite A505-S6980 (Black)

Lets just start with.. The computer is great! It is packed full of features you would expect from a more expensive laptop ( when purchased for $599.00 from BestBuy ). I put in many hours of research before buying this model. Just Google it and you will see all the great things people have said.

But I must say...Amazon usually has great prices. Lord knows I have purchased just about everything from here. In this instance the above seller, not Amazon, is making an absolute killing. Buyer be warned!

I got this laptop this past weekend and it is great. My old Dell is a little faster for surfing on the internet but this is only a bit slower. Has great memory storage and the battery charge lasts quite awhile. The built in webcam is great, I like the skype to talk and now see my family. The speakers are great, plays the music pretty loud for its size. The keys are a nice size and the screen is perfect, really nice picture and nice and bright, keeps the keys well lit for typing in the dark. However, I didnt buy this from Amazon, I got it at Best Buy this past weekend for $449.00 vs. Amazon's high price. Overall, great laptop for the price!

Buy Toshiba Satellite A505-S6980 (Black) Now

To start, this is not a gaming laptop. Don't buy this if you are a hardcore gamer and need the latest computer games to run perfectly. You will be disappointed. But for the casual user, a student, or someone who uses their computer for business, this Toshiba Satellite is a great investment. The speed is great, there's plenty of storage space, and the battery life is amazing as far as laptops go. Fully charged, the battery will last for 5-7 hours, depending on what you are doing. The large battery is a little awkward if you have the computer sitting on your lap, but it's great for on top of a desk or table. The battery props up the computer up so you can type in a more comfortable position.

I've had this laptop for over two years and I only have a couple of negative things to say about it. The speakers aren't the greatest. They work fine, but they don't get very loud which can be a buzzkill if you're playing some music for friends. I also was not happy with the amount of Toshiba "crapware" that came pre-installed on the machine. I eventually upgraded my harddrive and was happy to have all that useless software eradicated. Overall, this computer has been well-worth the money I paid for it.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite A505-S6980 (Black) Here

We purchased two of these in November of 2009. We have has the hard drive replaced in each one and will now have to replace the hard drive again in one of them. It's not right. We only use it for normal household use. E-mail, facebook, school papers. It stays in one place and is well taken care of. We don't load external games on it and the only outside items we run is Quicken, Turbo Tax and Webroot software.

Look for something else.

Want Toshiba Satellite A505-S6980 (Black) Discount?

At first, this laptop was wonderful. It ran fast (still does) and has a nice screen size. However, The touch pad is extremely sensitive and the surrounding area as well. I always have trouble scrolling. I also have had problems with Toshiba's battery port for the computer end. I've had two Toshiba Computers and both ports have brpken within a 6th month period. I haven't dropped either of them, shaken them or mishandled the computers in any way. I also got an extended battery for my laptop and that runs down in a short amount of time. If Toshiba got their act together hardware wise, I would've rated my old computer and this on a little higher.

Read More >>

HP ENVY 14-2130NR Notebook PC - Gray

I got this laptop 2 days ago. It came a day early... Thank you Amazon! It was up and running within minutes of being out of its box. It is a very sturdy machine, mostly metal, which is what I wanted. I travel about half the year in a truck so delicate machines just don't work for me. There wasn't really anything on the computer that I would consider to be bloatware. It runs as cool as a cucumber. I can sometimes hear the fan but it isn't a big deal. It is a "pretty" computer in an unusual sort of way. The keyboard is excellent for a touch typist. I like the option of turning off the touchpad while doing a lot of typing. The touchpad works just fine. The display is very good quality. I was afraid it wouldn't work well in sunlight but I can see the display in outdoor light (unless it is turned directly into the sun but who does that?)with no real problem save a little glare from the shiny surface of the screen. I'm not a computer geek and don't know much about the inner workings of a computer but I like this one. It works without alot of fuss and it is fast enough for a pretty impatient person! I have owned an old Macbook which I loved but could not afford to replace. I have owned a Compaq and a Sony Vaio. This computer, so far, is a better made machine than the Compaq or the Sony. I haven't had to deal with HP's Concierge Service or any other support service, which is a good thing, so I can't comment on that. I did a lot of research before making this purchase and I'm happy with the choice I made.

First off, I must say that the description of this computer does it no justice, and neither do the pictures. This is a gorgeous machine. The laser-etchings on the outer shell make this a uniquely designed laptop that you won't see everywhere. The audio (beats by dre) sounds outstanding, at least for a laptop. For best sound quality, hook up a pair of your favorite headphones, beats or not, and prepare to be amazed. For the price, this computer can't be beaten. The keyboard is nice, especially when backlit and it is extremely easy to type on. Despite complaints in user reviews on other sites, the touchpad is actually not half-bad. People complained the multi-touch didn't work, yet I find that it works nicely. This is a very fast and user-friendly computer and it has a whole load of features that laptops in the same price range do not include. I give it 5 stars and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good, solid laptop.

Buy HP ENVY 14-2130NR Notebook PC - Gray Now

I was looking at all the pc options for inexpensive laptops with backlit keyboards, and this was one of them. The newer HP Envies either have really big screens, or are overpriced. I am writing this review after 4 days of owning this, and I am going to send it back. There are pros and cons with this laptop. I would have considered keeping it, if I didn't get a blue screen, after only 4 days, and after not running that many programs on it.

The good:

1.) Awesome keyboard and clickpad. Some things you have to go in and configure on the clickpad settings in order to get the best performance.

2.) Awesome Beats sound and speakers

3.) The fan was never too loud, and the laptop remained cool to the touch.

The not-so-good:

1.) The screen was definitely bright, but without the proper contrast, I was disappointed with it, as it was difficult to spend to much time on it. Also, the glare was too much at times.

2.) This laptop is heavier than my Dell 15.6" laptop! Definitely much bulkier than I expected for a 14".

3.) Not digging the design on the lid and the raised design on the wrist rest.

The bad:

1.) Took over a minute to boot up to windows, each time.

2.) Blue Screen of Death. Not good on a 4-day old laptop.

Maybe I got a bad one, I don't know. HP offered to send me a replacement, but I opted for a different computer.

Read Best Reviews of HP ENVY 14-2130NR Notebook PC - Gray Here

The HP Envy series has always been regarded as one of the best premium Windows laptops and this model is no exception. Make no mistake you will feel proud of this laptop's design. It is absolutely first-class. However, keep in mind it is a bit on the big side. While a little over an inch thick may not seem hefty, in practice I found when closed the laptop still seems a bit chunky. It doesn't help it's also pretty hefty in weight thanks to the all metal construction. Basically, it's far from "thin and light." If you're going to be carrying this around often that may be a concern.

The flipside to that is what I stated before, the design of this laptop is simply exquisite. Performance has also been very good. In my use it's always booted up very fast, particularly when coming back from stand-by. It also runs relatively quiet and cool. At times the fan can be audible, but not loud or distracting by any means. Still, you have to remember there's a lot of computer under the hood. Gaming is fairly respectable. Don't expect to play games like Modern Warfare 3 or Skyrim on high settings, but the simple fact it can run games like that with medium settings should give you a sense of how it handles graphics.

Overall, I'm satisifed with this laptop. Heavy weight and thickness, when closed, aside, you can't go wrong, especially in the $849.99-899.99 price range. However, if you truly want something that's thin and light, look elsewhere. This is not as thin or light as some may hope. If you're wanting something truly thin and light, look at models like the Sony Vaio S Series or Dell 14z, but keep in mind those will probably run you more money for an inch less in thickness and about two pounds less in weight.

Want HP ENVY 14-2130NR Notebook PC - Gray Discount?

There's a reason Steve Jobs was on the cover of every national publication that mattered the day he died. He transformed the technology we use every day by creating products we LOVE.

Apple's brand love index is the highest of any major national brand, with good reason. Their products make our lives easier, more enjoyable and do so with so much innovation and operational integrity that other brands with similar products are often relegated to the shadows. Okay, so I'm an Apple fan and have grown accustomed to my iMac, Mac Book Pro, iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch. But hold on, because HP (already a terrific company albeit with some fits and starts lately) has delivered a wonderful product in the HP ENVY 14-2130NR.

For a while now, my 13 year-old son has been desperate for his own computer. His previous computer (a mac) was sold to a neighbor who lost everything when Hurricane Katrina slammed into New York's Woodstock region with the force of, well, a nasty hurricane. Because my ex-wife is a generous sort my son's computer was enlisted to help this poor soul, which was fine with my son who's been coveting a PC laptop for some time. Why a PC? Games of course, and with the introduction of Windows 7 I couldn't argue. I'm a writer and though I'm all Mac at home, at the office I'm Windows 7. Sure the haters will slam Windows 7 for all it doesn't do, and for it's limitations, but for the average kid in middle school it's more than good.

Enter last week's search process for the perfect PC laptop. I guess my biggest eye-opener was how many models to choose from. With Mac it's simpler. Pick a screen size and you're pretty-much done. My son made the job easier by picking the HP brand, which has cache' with Millennials. Okay, but did there have to be so many models and options to choose from?

After scanning consumer reports, which always seems to be 6 months behind what's REALLY going on online and at retail, I settled on the HP 6180. I talked to the Philippines (offshore home of HP's sales and customer service brigade) and became more than satisfied that I was buying a fast, I7 processor, machine with many strong points. But wait a minute... was the screen too big, and what about no backlit keyboard?

Another scan of consumer reports led me to the HP ENVY 14-2130NR -actually the 2020NR -which was rated tops behind mac in the 14.6" category. After looking at, no lie, 15 models, I ordered the HP ENVY 14-2130NR from Amazon and I'm happy I did.

The laptop came in a day, was packaged in wonderful, innovative packaging, but that was only the beginning. The machine came out of the box working great. Setup was a snap. Sure there's a bunch of programs my guy could care less about, bloatware, but who cares? Here's what we got:

A fast I5 machine with 4G Ram, a 750G hard drive with a back lit keyboard, blue ray equipped DVD burner, USB 3 connections, all the wifi and camera connectivity built in, along with a sweet 14.6" screen for about $500 bucks less than a comparable Mac. The quality seems terrific. Everything works great, the machine is put together well, carefully, and I'm happy to report both HP and Amazon delivered in a big way.

Is the screen a little nicer on my Mac. Yes. Does my son care... not one bit. He's thrilled. The best news is even in this horrible, crap economy, my boy -with the help of my ex-wife and her boyfriend, both sets of grandparents and yours truly -now has a brand new laptop that he LOVES and can't live without.

I wish getting here was a bit easier. So, if you want a great laptop that rivals Mac but doesn't cost as much, with a backlit keyboard, nice fast processor, decent-sized hard drive with enough craftsmanship and design integrity to make even a Mac guy like me happy, then run don't walk to the HP ENVY 14-2130NR.

One last bit of advice. Amazon has been moving the price of this machine all around. I bought it for $849 minus a $50 gift card that was credited to me at purchase for a roughly net $800 price. As I write this review I see the machine is up to about $950. Here's what I would do... call HP and see what they can do. They offered me this machine for $760 on December 30, 2011. If I didn't need it to arrive the next day I would have done that deal all day long.

HP will deal. Amazon, wise up! But Amazon's customer service is first rate and the machine got here overnight.

Best of luck.

Read More >>

Samsung Series 9 NP900X3C-A05US 13.3-Inch Premium Ultrabook (Ash Black)

I spent several weeks researching laptops, specifically ultrabooks. I had the misfortune of spilling coffee on my Macbook Air, rendering it a very expensive paperweight. As happy as I was with the Air, I went in search of alternatives.

Although I was unable to find a Samsung Series 9 in a physical store, I went ahead and ordered it anyway. I am glad that I did, it is the perfect size, slightly smaller than the air in both length and width, and as for thickness, it's thinner at it's widest point, but thicker at it's smallest. Overall, it's a match for the size of the air, it just doesn't come down to such a fine edge as the air in the front.

As for the machine itself, it's great. Below are some pros and cons I've experienced so far.

Pros:

Screen is bright, 1600x900 is a great resolution. I know people are holding out for the 1080 version, but this is enough for me.

The keyboard is great, some reviews talk of bad feedback, or that the press is too short. I don't have a problem with that at all, I find typing on the device to be simple.

Speed. Wow, is this thing fast. Restarts are

Save 24% Off

Read More >>

HP Pavilion dv7-4069wm 17.3" Laptop PC with AMD Phenom II N830 Processor & Windows 7 Home Premium B

I bought the AMD to compare it to my buddies i5 processor in the same model, plus I'm more of an AMD fan anyways. It seems to hold its own on the hardware side of the field. I'm not a huge fan of the illuminated "HP" logo on the cover(it never turns off, even in power saver). The lid cannot be opened with one hand which is also slightly annoying, due to the fact that you will have to pick it up almost every time you want to open it. I like windows 7 with it, good functionality, with more options. Upgrading to 7 Ultimate was tough. Most of the drivers didn't work after I reinstalled them and caused my left speaker to stop working. I would stick with the OS that comes with it(Home Premium x64), if I did it again. Other than that, the 640GB HD is a great size and eliminates the need to use external drives for at least a while. The casing is also pretty durable. I'm deployed and I've carried it all over Afghanistan with minimal cosmetic damage. The keyboard is nice and the large size of the screen leaves more room for the "10 key". I would recommend this laptop for anyone below "serious gamer" and above "internet junkie". Great for media, work, and general use.

I was very excited to order and receive this laptop! It even came packaged very nicely when it arrived at my door via-UPS. Very easy set up and charged right away. Came with an informative booklet with instructions on how to work all the bells and whistles. Also received a free offer from EMusic to download 50 songs and 1 Audiobook. If you cancel within 14 days, you can keep the downloads free of charge. Pretty cool. The laptop itself works very smoothly and very quickly. The color is really pretty as well. It says it's 'Brushed Aluminum' but it looks slightly 'Champagne' in color. It has every feature that I've ever wanted in a laptop. It's a 640GB hard drive and I specifically got this one for college. It should hold everything and then some. It plays Blue ray movies, holds a ton of photos, plays videos, games, music, etc. The only thing I was confused about was when I checked to see the hard drive space and it only said 320GB. I contacted the seller that very same day and within 24 hrs they replied back and explained that the hard drive (for some odd reason) is split in two. Further research and digging into my computer, confirmed this. So overall very happy and satisfied with my laptop and I can't stay off now!

Buy HP Pavilion dv7-4069wm 17.3" Laptop PC with AMD Phenom II N830 Processor & Windows 7 Home Premium B Now

I will never buy another HP product again. Bought it hoping to get a computer that would get me through school and now I have a 800 dollar paper weight a year and a half later. There is a malfunction in the heat sync. Hp fixed the fans but failed to replace the motherboard. No computer that has been taken care of should burn up that fast .I am very disappointed in how they have handled the issue. Was told on the phone that they had to change the design and now they have figured out the problem. No help to me it ran out of warranty 4 months ago. The shop I took mine to said this the 5th one this month with the same problem. Good luck to anyone who buys one.

Read Best Reviews of HP Pavilion dv7-4069wm 17.3" Laptop PC with AMD Phenom II N830 Processor & Windows 7 Home Premium B Here

I bought mine from Wal Mart a little over a year ago. Still works!

The screen display is great.

The keyboard is super easy to clean.

As for the sound it's not that great. What can you expect from small built in speaker boxes? But if you use some really good earbuds, head phones, OR seperate speakers, the sound gets even better!

The built in mike and web cam work good.

The processor is super fast.

Great for games, vidoes ect.

LOVE it!!!

Want HP Pavilion dv7-4069wm 17.3" Laptop PC with AMD Phenom II N830 Processor & Windows 7 Home Premium B Discount?

Well, first of all I was impressed when it came the very next day after I ordered it! Wow, that was fast!. Second, It came very well packed and with lots of helpful info. This laptop is huge huge huge and I LOVE IT! Omg, I really am glad that I read reviews on all different kinds and picked this one. Some people I noticed said they had a problem with the keyboard. I see what they are saying just because it is spread out more which I love! My fingers don't get in the way at all. This is really a great laptop, and I recommend it to anyone that loves facebook and games. So glad I bought this one!!

Read More >>

Apple G4 12.1" Powerbook (1.5 GHz Processor, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, CD-RW/DVD Drive, Mac OS

TRUST ME IF YOU GET IT YOU WILL LIKE IT, JUST REMEMBER IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT YOU CAN RETURN IT AND GET YOUR MONEY BACK!

Quick shipping, got a crummy DELL case for the laptop, pictures are not the same as posted. The memory was not erased when received. But what can you expect for $149 for a mac? This apple g4 is great for watching movies, the programs are not downloaded such as word, or flash player.

Buy Apple G4 12.1" Powerbook (1.5 GHz Processor, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, CD-RW/DVD Drive, Mac OS Now

Read More >>

eMachines eME527-2537 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

I bought this laptop purely out of the compelling nature of the Amazon Lightning Deal price of $279 plus the specifications of the unit (since then it seems they've made the deal price the standard one, for now). I own a computer service business, so I know exactly how to research laptops for potential purchase down to the component level, and here's why I decided to make the buy:

* CPU: It might be a cheap Celeron, but it has a 1MB cache and 64-bit capability, and is based on the Core 2 processor; DEFINITELY far more powerful than any netbook, and in my tests it plays 720p high-definition H.264 video clips without a single hitch. The lower cache is also somewhat mitigated by the dual-channel DDR3 memory.

* RAM: 2GB of dual-channel DDR3. Enough said. It's the latest and greatest kind of memory, and there's enough to get most typical things done. You could even run Photoshop if you wanted, and it'd be fine.

* Hard drive: 160GB SATA...pretty small by today's standards, but it's way more than most people will use, including myself since I have a desktop for all the big stuff.

* DVD-RW drive: YES, IT BURNS DVDs. Very compelling, particularly since netbooks' main missing feature is an optical drive.

* 15.6" widescreen: you can easily buy a laptop for $300 more and get a smaller screen. The image is crisp and I absolutely can't complain. The resolution is really good, also. Plenty of video real estate to get things done.

* Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit: 64-bit! Not Starter Edition! Not Vista! What more could you ask for? (Also, Linux works great on it; I checked!)

* This thing isn't a 17" laptop, yet it has a numeric keypad! Not a full one, but just the fact that it has the standard 0-9 and Enter matrix in the proper place is amazing, and awfully handy for keeping those pesky financial records!

Some people will not like the lack of a webcam, but the most annoying compromise is the sound. While you can easily connect a set of speakers and get wonderful sound, the built-in speaker is mono (there is only one speaker), very quiet, and has a very poor response range. It's sufficient for hearing sounds such as a mail notification (if ambient noise in the room is low), but it's insufficient for almost everything else, including listening to music. Honestly, most people could care less about the missing cam and pitiful speaker, especially at this price point. It's powerful, it gets the job done and does so at great speed, and the feature list is absolutely shocking for a $279 unit. If I was evaluating this at its "normal" $399 price, I would advise coughing up an extra $100 and buying a dual-core unit with 4GB and a 320GB hard drive instead, but the $120 off makes this an absolutely unbeatable offer. In fact, I've already helped three other people purchase one since mine was delivered and I evaluated it first-hand.

If you get this at a good price, you absolutely won't be sorry. Just buy it!

I ordered the laptop using my Prime account on Monday and it arrived two days later, as promised. The laptop comes in a simple, cardboard eMachines box with basic instructions: Put in Battery, Plug in, Turn on.

Upon opening the monitor, I notice shelling is made of a thin, flat black plastic. A little on the cheap side, but this laptop is not meant to go off-road. Acceptable. The monitor is wide and very crisp. I was very disappointed in the video card. Granted, it is an integrated 4500M, but the resolution display cannot go any higher than 1366x768. I like my icons and screen to appear smaller, so I can essentially fit more onto my screen. The keys are well spaced and firm to the touch, so there is no accidental key-pressing. There is also an integrated accounting key-pad on the right, something my previous Compaq M2100 did not have, a plus for accounting/econ majors. The power cord seems pretty sturdy. Unlike my previous Compaq which was victim of a weak neck, the power cord is a 90 degree plug and reinforced with thicker amounts of synthetic plastic/rubber. Finally, the laptop weighs in at 5.65 pounds.

This laptop will be used for basic everyday use: Internet Browsing, Mail, Social networking, remote networking into work, MS Office and Videos/Music. I do not plan on using any photo or movie editing programs. I was able to browse the internet a bit. I checked my mail and social networks. The laptop seems efficient, but when I attempted to run two tabbed windows (Car Forum and Ytube) at once, one of the windows (YTube) crashed! Luckily, it was quickly recovered Windows. Not a big deal for people with patience, but I always run multiple tabs so this might be a problem in the future.

The laptop comes with Windows 7 64-bit, a plus. It also comes with a 60 day trial of Microsoft office and Norton antivirus.

Overall, I really like the laptop. It lacks power in the dated Celeron processor but makes up for in a strong wireless 802.11b/g/n card, a nice sleek monitor and 160GB available hard drive for storing movies, music and pictures.

For $279 (Amazon Lightning Deal), I am very satisfied with my purchase!

*EDIT*

I was able to fool around with the new laptop some more last night. In total, I used the laptop for about 1.5 hours, MAX. The first 60 minutes comprised of basic internet browsing: Fbook, Amazon.com, and YouTube. Since I did not have available Wi-Fi, I tethered my HTC Snap. Sadly, because I was in the hills of Hollywood, I got very poor reception so my internet was sluggish. I skipped the YTube and stayed on Meebo for some chat.

My next laptop session was later that night at my apartment. I picked up the apartment's Wi-Fi quickly and web pages loaded normally, but nothing phenomenal. The wireless card works well, as expected.

As an avid music junkie, I noticed the Mono-speaker is VERY under powered. I opened Pandora while I was cooking in the kitchen. The noise from the overhead oven vent clashed with the weaker speaker from the laptop. The speakers in my old Compaq M2100 were much stronger. Granted, they were stereo. However, if you have a pair of headphones, watching movies on a plane, car ride or late at night easily solves this problem.

After I shut down, my battery life read 57%. Not bad for about 1.5 hours of web browsing and music streaming while using a mixture of Tether/Wi-Fi. Let me also add, whenever I am not plugged into AC power, I set my screen brightness to the lowest to conserve the laptop's power.

Again, I STILL believe this is a GREAT laptop for the price.

Buy eMachines eME527-2537 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Now

This looks like an Acer Aspire AS5734Z-4512 NoteBook except it comes with a single core processor (Acer owns Gateway and eMachines).

I am expecting accessories to be well supported and compatible between both brands.

At $279, this laptop is an excellent deal. Ordered on Wednesday, delivered before noon on Thursday.

The laptop is lightweight (lighter than my 13" Apple MacBook) and responsive (DVDs play seamlessly).

It just takes a couple of minutes to configure it. I was able to connect my WPA2 Wireless N network with no issue.

The power adapter accepts up to 240V and the power cord is detachable this should be usable in Europe.

A webcam would have been a nice addition.

Pros:

Large and bright screen

Full keyboard with keypad

Windows 7 license

Minimal bloatware

Intel processor and video chipset

Reasonably fast and responsive

Up and running in two minutes

Reads DVDs out of the box

Battery comes half charged

Cons:

Single core processor

No webcam

Low powered speaker

Keypad skews keyboard to the right

Read Best Reviews of eMachines eME527-2537 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Here

For the past two weeks or so, I had been on the prowl for the cheapest laptop or net book I could find, as I needed something portable to use with a module on my motorcycle. Constantly lugging the desktop outside simply wouldn't do.

I happened across this machine during a lightening deal (which seems to sporadically going in and out of effect for the past two to three days). For the price, this is an extremely capable machine, understandably with no extras to keep the price as low as it is.

Pros:

Minimal software is included, but free options (Open Office, GIMP, VLC, iTunes) all run very decently.

DVD playback is adequate, although there is some hiccuping as the drive "spools" up initially, but is fine after a few seconds.

The wireless card works better then I would have expected, and has about the same range as my MacBook Pro.

I couldn't easily locate it before purchase, but the screen resolution is 1366 x 768.

Minimal pre-installed bloatware.

Plays Solitaire fine, I wouldn't trust it for anything more intensive than that though.

I was spoiled my Apples' trackpad included with their newest MacBook Pro, but the trackpad on here works quite nicely. While not being multi-touch capable, the included drivers / utilities allow you to set up sections to use as scrolling (for webpages), simulate momentum scrolling, and have hot-sections for gestures / commands.

Cons:

The lid does feel a little flimsy, but under normal use doesn't seem like it should be problematic.

Very cheap, mono-speaker. If you're going to watch movies or play music, make sure you have some headphones.

If all you need as a bare-bones laptop, this machine is perfect. Just about the same price as (if not cheaper than) a good number of netbooks, which gives you an optical drive, at the trade-off of battery life. A little shy of an hour and a half of web browsing forums with brightness at minimum took the battery from full charge to about 45%. I haven't tweaked the power saving options, could probably salvage a little more juice out of it.

Want eMachines eME527-2537 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Discount?

You get what you pay for but once in a while a great value floats to the surface and this eMachine proves it. Sure the audio is pretty bad and as noted by other reviewers the little jewel hardly features leading edge performance but if you can hook one for less than $300 its a steal for rudimentary applications...email, surfing the net, amazon-shopping. Excellent wireless performance and good battery life. I still hate MicroSoft but Windows-7 doesn't suck too bad so the whole purchase has been positive. Strongly recommended.

Read More >>

HP Pavilion DV7-1261WM 17-inch Laptop With BLU-RAY

I'll be brief.

The screen is nice and bright, but for some people 1440x900 is not enough for a 17" screen. It wasn't a concern of mine, and the screen looks great.

The bronze looks nice for the first few months, but since it's just painted on and not part of the plastic or anything, like with an Asus or something like that, it begins to wear off.

The keyboard is difficult to see in some lighting conditions; the white paint blends into the bronze color (which looks grey most of the time, by the way).

The mousepad doesn't have the right amount of friction since it's just shiny plastic/metal. It gets better with use as finger oils make it more slippery, but the oils show up clearly on the mousepad and the plastic wrist rests.

The support was very good, but I needed it more than I should have. The power cord leads going from the cable to the metal part that goes inside the line-in port break easily with cable flex, requiring replacement of the cable. This has been necessary twice so far, in less than a year of ownership.

The speakers are very good, as is the webcam. They are loud and they sound great for laptop speakers.

Battery life started around 1:40, battery deteriorated over time and now lasts about 1:20 on power saving mode.

Blu-ray works well but the built-in software doesn't work with many discs that have advanced features. I tried every leading Blu-ray software player and found that ArcSoft TotalMedia Theater works the best with this drive, so that's what I would suggest.

Processor is fast enough and responds quickly but generates too much heat and noise, as is a common problem I've had with AMD processors.

Video card is good enough for casual gaming; games like Half-Life 2 can be played fluidly on high settings, and new games like Just Cause 2 can be played okay on lower settings.

I read other reviews on this computer and had a few concerns. I have owned this machine for two weeks now and find all the complaints people had have not appeared here. Battery is just warm, machine is very fast,it's just all around great. I would suggest this machine to my own mother.

Buy HP Pavilion DV7-1261WM 17-inch Laptop With BLU-RAY Now

I thought that my DV7-1261-WM was fast and pretty good. Thanks to a Windows 8 Pro download problem (it basically killed my computer) I had to load a new system (no matter what microsoft says windows 8 is a handicap on this powerful computer, it was designed for tablets and does not like keyboards, mice and touchpads) so on the advice of a trusted friend I loaded Windows 7 ultimate; WOW, my pretty good laptop is now a speed monster (I do have the full 8 gb ram and I am using 64bit system). I have never imagined the full potential of my machine until now. It still has high value it, this is unusual for a laptop over 2 years old.

Read Best Reviews of HP Pavilion DV7-1261WM 17-inch Laptop With BLU-RAY Here

Many shipping issues, received wrong product at first. This computer is powerful and feature laden but is not as user friendly as my first HP Laptop I bought 3 years ago. I blame that mostly on the Vista operating system. Hope to get the Windows 7 upgrade soon.

Want HP Pavilion DV7-1261WM 17-inch Laptop With BLU-RAY Discount?

Read More >>

Dell Alienware M11x 11.6-Inch i7-640 Laptop (Cosmic Black)

I love this little computer! I like having both a wide-screen laptop for long term projects, and a small laptop that I can carry for "just in case I need one" trips. This laptop is small, compact, and powerful--perfect for a videographer like myself. It runs the Adobe Master Collection CS5.5 with no trouble. I love the firewire line-in for video uploads; and it has plenty of USB 3 ports. I read else where that the only flaw in this laptop was the lack of disc drive. For me that wasn't an issue, since I have 3 external drives already. I keep the slim portable disc drive packed with the laptop, so I always have the option available. If you're looking for a small, powerful laptop, this one is a good pic!

A few months back, I bought this computer hoping for a quality gaming pc. After 2 months, it started going to s***. It overheats extremely fast, and I can't fix this because I am supposed to take the bottom cover off, but it was screwed in horridly tight, and I could not get it off. Therefore I am stuck with an $800 piece of s*** that I cannot return. Do not buy. Ever.

Buy Dell Alienware M11x 11.6-Inch i7-640 Laptop (Cosmic Black) Now

I was hoping to get a decent computer when I ordered this. Since they have stopped manufacturing this model I was afraid that I would be getting a pretty beat up definently used version of the M11x. This was not so in my case! I got a pristine model which is so much faster than I thought it would be for such a small little system. I absolutely love the illuminated keyboard for such a little system.

Read Best Reviews of Dell Alienware M11x 11.6-Inch i7-640 Laptop (Cosmic Black) Here

Read More >>

Lenovo G560 Series 0679AJU 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

I got this computer to replace a similar computer that crashed. It works even better than the previous one, and I am thrilled that I got such a great deal on a computer. It was on sale for significantly less than the retail price, which made it one of the least expensive computers on Amazon at the time, and close to half the price of my previous computer. Perfect for me! Just keep in mind that it only has microsoft word and excel for free the entire office suite does not come with this computer.

This was a total want. We were replacing a very old laptop and just wanted a replacement. I love the fact that it has Office Starter installed. I can quickly edit spreadsheets and create word documents without having to use the desktop. I am so happy with what I got for the price.

Buy Lenovo G560 Series 0679AJU 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Now

I was not familiar with the name Lenovo, but seeing all that I required of a computer and the price, I ordered it and am very pleased with how it operates. I made a simple transfer of my old computer data very smoothly. It performs all functions perfectly and has an eco monitor.

Read Best Reviews of Lenovo G560 Series 0679AJU 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Here

I am very pleased with this purchase. Comparable to the much more expensive laptop that it was replacing. Could not be happier.

Want Lenovo G560 Series 0679AJU 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Discount?

Purchased this laptop as a Christmas gift for my 12 year old Grand Son. Worked right out of the box, no problems and meets all expectations for school and kids game applications.

Read More >>

Gateway ID49C12u 14 Inch Laptop - Arctic Silver

This is almost a perfect laptop. Excellent size +/14 inches. Very light +/5 pounds. The Intel i5 cpu is a fantastic chip and runs applications like a breeze, 4.6 on the Windows 7 user experience index. I've had absolutely no issues with the product, in fact, the touch pad is better than most other laptops I've used. The specs vs price seemed just right for what I needed this laptop for and the item delivered in all aspects.

I receive my laptop last Oct 21, 2010 because I work on the ship. Im very impressed with the look of the laptop. It doesn't look cheap and the design was elegant. The only problem that I encountered is sometimes when I press the touchpad button (the one on the left), its not responding... Sometimes i need to tap the center touchpad before it response... it is hassle when i want to drag a file...i cant drag it because the left button is not responding... and I used this laptop for Deejaying so dragging files is common in my command... Sometimes I need to try it several times before it rsponse... I am not sure if i need to upgrade the driver for touchpad or not but its giving me hard time... I haven't complaint yet to Amazon because I'm still testing it.

The rest of the specification is good and fast. I will recommend this laptop...

Please put comment if you have the same problem like mine... So that I wont waste my time testing it...

Buy Gateway ID49C12u 14 Inch Laptop - Arctic Silver Now

I bought this for my daughter in college. 4 days after she got it the mouse pad did not work right. After spending MANY hours with Gateway Tech Service, updating programs, system restores over many many calls I had to spend $18 to ship it to them for repair. They "fixed" it and sent it back. STILL DOES NOT WORK and I CAN'T RETURN IT!!! Gateway is TERRIBLE If you buy one you will be sorry!

Read Best Reviews of Gateway ID49C12u 14 Inch Laptop - Arctic Silver Here

This laptop is very good for the price. The touch pad takes a little getting used to, especially after sharing a macbook pro with my wife. But I've been using this computer for a week now, and I'm starting to like the touch pad a little better. Right click remains an issue (have to click more than once sometimes), but again, it's always a matter of getting used to something new. The keyboard is awesome. I'd say it's better than my wife's macbook pro and she reluctantly agreed. The computer is fast, looks great, and is the perfect size.

The sound quality and surround sound is great. But the computer lacks volume and doesn't get very loud. With headphones it sounds great. The new Windows 7 is pretty stable. However, beware that if you don't set it to go into sleep mode when you close the lid it will lock up -just one of those things with windows. I don't think it has anything to so with the computer itself.

It's also very light and the battery life is what gateway says it is (5 hours or so depending on what you're running).

For the price, look no further...it's a keeper.

Want Gateway ID49C12u 14 Inch Laptop - Arctic Silver Discount?

I originally purchased the HP Pavilion dm3-3110us 13.3-Inch Notebook PC Silver but ended up returning it due to the processor was just not fast enough for my needs. Both have a similar silver design and are lightweight. I actually prefer the overall looks on the HP but this Gateway is much faster for my needs.

I upgraded the ram to 8gb using Corsair 8 GB DDR3 Laptop Memory Kit CMSO8GX3M2A1333C9 and noticed a huge difference in overall performance. Windows Performance score is 4.7.

I am not having any problems with the touchpad like others have mentioned, in fact I really like this type of pad. Has a solid feel and 'click' when pushed. The glowing touchpad is ok but would have preferred a backlit keyboard. Speaking of keyboard this design is really nice with open space between the keys making it easy to clean with some canned air.

Didn't come with a ton of software installed like the HP mentioned above...which is a good thing

CD rom is ok but these days it is something I really don't need anymore but may appeal to others

Weighs just a tad over 5 pounds

Speakers are nothing great and do not get that loud. Quality is great with headphones

Has a dedicated social network key but prefer to view it all in a browser instead of using the app

My last desktop was a Gateway and it lasted over 5 years with absolutely no issues before I sold it.

Very happy with this laptop and is priced right.

Read More >>

Lenovo U300s 108026U 13.3-Inch Ultrabook

I bought the ultrabook with the intention of carrying it in my backpack and using it for work almost every day. I need to have a PC keyboard layout and preferably run Win 7 without virtualizing it. Therefore, I chose Lenovo u300s over the Macbook Air. This could be a perfect laptop, but it falls short in a few areas.

Pros:

Thin, light, very portable. Overall design is top-notch. Grew color is subtle and stylish.

The body has a metal chassis, feels smooth to the touch and stays cool, top and bottom, all the time.

Looks fantastic, can't imagine the type of engineering that went into making it this thin.

Good wireless, fast, doesn't drop signal.

Laptop doesn't come loaded with bloatware, great job Lenovo!

SSD and the ULV i7 are BLAZING fast (when used in full power mode)

Ports: USB 3 included, big winner over my 2nd choice, MB Air and Thunderbolt.

It's Windows 7! I can cut & paste files in explorer (stab at finder), drag two windows to each side for split-screen and use MS Office the way it was intended to be used.

So-so:

The touchpad is good, but falls short of any Macbook quality. The multitouch gestures don't register when two fingers are swiped diagonally for ex. Lenovo went with Synaptics and it shows. Apple touchpads are in a league of their own.

Battery life The marketed battery life of 8 hrs is achievable as long as the the brightness is low and the processor is on the lowest power setting. This is great for marketing, but if you want to use that core i7 processor and really enjoy the LCD, your battery falls to an expected 3 or 4 hours. There's no magic here, same old tradeoff between speed, brightness and battery life.

Screen The technology for 1600 x 900 displays is there, Asus has them in the same screen size. Not sure why Lenovo settled for the lesser 1366x768 res on a top-of-the-line model. The screen itself is good, but I'm used to working on an IPS monitor, so I'm not blown away with this darker, more muted screen.

Only 4GB ram. It'll do for now, but what about 3 years from now?

Cons:

Keyboard The whole row of Pg Up, Pg Down, Home, End keys rubs up against the body, sometimes making a squeaky noise. When you buy a $40000 high-end sedan, how would you feel if the doors started squeaking since day one? Why should I feel different about using squeaky keys on a $1500 laptop? Unacceptable. Makes me feel as if this was slapped together and rushed out the door.

Opening and closing Laptop makes small plastic cracking noise around the hinge in the back. Same as the last point, this is unacceptable for a brand new laptop out of the box. Will this really last me past the warranty? I don't know.

No way to change ram/ssd/battery. This is something that you've come to expect when buying a PC laptop.

With all this in mind, I think 4 stars is a fair rating relative to other ultrabooks that are out now. If I wasn't tied down to MS Office, and a traditional PC keyboard layout, I would probably go for the Macbook Air. But this is still a great laptop with plenty to be happy about.

---------------UPDATE 1/28/2012---------------

The laptop I initially reviewed was definitely a lemon. I reached out directly to Lenovo, who were very quick and helpful in finding me a new machine. I got the new one and it works perfectly well (no cracking noises, no squeaky keys).

After using this laptop for a variety of reasons over the last few months, I wouldn't switch to anything else. The thin, low profile and light body is as good as it gets for looks and convenience. It's a solid Windows machine that stands out in a sea of Macbook Airs. In the end, I'm happy that I ended up going with Lenovo.

I don't often review products on Amazon, but I thought this one was worthy of it. Plus, it is giving me a great chance to test out the keyboard. I have had the notebook for about 2 days now, and am very happy with it. It's a solid piece of kit, very well build, and quite handsome. It is also slim, and light, which is exactly what I was looking for when I upgraded from my 1.5 year old Acer Timeline X. It is svelte enough that, at the software company where I work, I had several people stop by when it was sitting on my desk to ask about it, and declare that they want to get the laptop themselves. Also, working at a software company, we were overjoyed that the default browser loaded on the system was Chrome, and that it is relatively free of bloatware. 2 MAJOR pluses for Lenovo.

The performance is solid, although I also purchased a second generation Push2TV device from Netgear, and it won't connect to it. I am going to update all of the drivers on the machine, and see if I can get it to work, as I have tried a number of other solutions (difficulty in getting WiDi to work seems like an extremely common problem which is not confined to Lenovo devices after some quick Google searches).

Also, the keyboard is a touch cramped, a natural extension of the relatively small screen, but I wish the keys would run closer to the edges, and that the shift and ctrl keys were made a little wider. I have big hands, and I have found it virtually impossible to hold shift and hit the question mark next to it without looking down, because of how close the two keys are to each other. I invariably end up adding a ">" instead of a "?". But I am able to type quite quickly on the keyboard, and I imagine that it will only get better as I get more used to it.

Also, as mentioned by the other reviewer, the battery life isn't great. I have burned through 4% of it just writing this review over the last 8 minutes. Granted, I like to keep my screen bright, and I am running a remote desktop client, with my CPU usage hovering around 30%, so that will naturally drain the battery a little more quickly, but my Timeline X has battery life that exceeds this computer's by miles.

Those are my main gripes with the machine. The build quality is impeccable, unlike what the other reviewer (the only other, thus far) noted, I don't have issues with noises when the lid opens and closes, and none of my keys rub up against the body. Hopefully mine is the more typical, or there will be some very unhappy customers out there. The screen is bright and I find it to be quite attractive, while the matte finish keeps glare at bay. I also have been running fairly intense processes, and while the 4GB of RAM and 1.8 GHz of i7 doesn't make for the fastest beast on the block, for a computer this size, it is actually quite impressive.

All in all this is a very capable device. If you are looking for a slim computer, I don't think you can do much better. I spent some time with the Acer S3, the Asus UX31, The Toshiba Portege Ultrabook, and the Samsung Series 9, and am very happy that I chose the Lenovo. I like it far more that those computers. If you want to save some money, and need some more battery life, I was very happy with my Timeline X. If you want thinner and lighter, I don't think you will be disappointed by this computer.

Buy Lenovo U300s 108026U 13.3-Inch Ultrabook Now

love the speed had a problem with the wifi however the support was helpful got hold of the support right away without a wait.my only complain is when i tilt the laptop the fan seem to connect with the aluminum casing and make scratching sound. overall i am happy with this.

review update

after a month and half one of the rubber feet of the ideapad had detached. the casing is now making clicking sound when you pick it up, like it is loose. fan scratching the aluminum casing has got worst, for this price i unfortunately can not recommend this.

Read Best Reviews of Lenovo U300s 108026U 13.3-Inch Ultrabook Here

The key to this pc seems to be that its perfect except fro the details which could use some work.

-Others complained about the screen but I don't mind it too much, it isn't gorgeous though.

-Also battery life is closer to 3 hours than anything (medium brightness and settings) which I think is partially due to the rapidcharge. No battery is designed to charge that fast and it shows. You go from 0 to 96 percent in half an hour and from 96 to 100 in another half hour. Seems like lenovo did a little trickery there to make it seem like it charges faster than it does. Trust me the difference between 96% charge and 100% is almost an hour.

-I really enjoy the keyboard on this laptop, its as good or better than many full sized laptops.

-Also I do game development and 3d modeling as well as computer programming and the processor is way more than I even use. however the graphics card is lacking (I find it runs good fps but not high quality even with full settings, antialiasing is very week on HD3000 chips)

-I love the touchpad gestures though I wish the three and four finger gestures were customizable and a bit more accurate.

-First thing you do buy an external optical drive there cheap and worth it, and a usb hub. two ports is nothing anymore.

My biggest complaints are the lack of play/pause/next/previous keys (i fixed it using autohotkey to ctr+shift+arrow keys) and the less than expected battery life. Overall though it is ridiculously fast especially boot which I timed at exactly 12 seconds.

Want Lenovo U300s 108026U 13.3-Inch Ultrabook Discount?

I like the computer overall. It's very light and easy to carry. The only thing that troubles me is the keyboard. Sometimes it's hard to press "n" and "a".

Save 27% Off

Read More >>

Dell Inspiron i15R-2105PNK 15-Inch Laptop (Pink)

I bought this new laptop to replace my previous Dell, and it just arrived yesterday. So far, so good. I was able to set it up within minutes. Using the Windows File Transfer was awesome, too, even though it took a long time to get my settings and files over. There is not a whole lot of crap on this laptop as someone claimed, either. I was expecting a lot of junk on here when there isn't. My connection to WiFi is 5 bars which never, ever happened on the previous Dell. The speed is PRIMO! I'm extremely happy with this laptop. It has not lagged one time since I've been using it (and I have 3 browsers open at all times with 2 always logged in). My youngest daughter is happy, because she is now the owner of my other Dell since her Acer died on her. It's an Inspiron 1545 model that I bought in 2009 or 2010 and still going strong. I think Dell is the bomb :-) May this one last 10x longer :-)

Dell Inspiron i15R-2105PNK 15-Inch Laptop (Pink) UPDATE, Sep 30, 2012 5:42:08 AM PDT: Okay, let me update this after a few negative new discoveries. First off, no matter what I set this on, the screen saver does NOT come on. No matter what I set this on, it does not go to sleep while the lid is open like it is supposed to. I have changed the settings twice now, and it just doesn't matter :-( I'm not happy about this. Secondly, it runs HOT, HOT, HOT, HOT. I have a fan pointing towards that side, too, and it still is very hot to the touch. It's like the fan is NOT working to cool this off. My other Dell did NOT run hot at all. Thirdly, I see the price jacked up since I purchased this 9 days ago. I am so glad I bought it when I did, because I would NEVER pay $700 for it ($600 was bad enough)! I'm not happy with the it's performance right now at all, but I will keep trying the settings and see what happens. My main worry is how hot this runs :-(

Dell Inspiron i15R-2105PNK 15-Inch Laptop (Pink) UPDATE, Oct 12, 2012 7:48 PM CST: One more update, and I hope that's the end of this story. I woke this morning to find my laptop wouldn't function. Every file I had of .exe was defunct. It wouldn't even let me run a virus scan. It wouldn't even let me restore. It wouldn't even let the Dell tech connect to my network so he could get inside and see what was wrong. So, we had to end up doing a factory restore much to my dismay, because, of course, that would mean having to re-install all my files, programs, etc. I'm not finished as yet, but I must say this laptop must have been sick upon arrival. The graphics were absolutely horrible on here in comparison to my other Dell, the sound quality was horrible, and it ran extremely hot. Since the factory restore, the graphics are 1000 times better than before, the sound is 1000 times better than before, and it is NOT running hot...not even warm. This is a mystery, no doubt. I just hope that whatever went wrong this morning will never happen again. The Dell tech suggested I had dl'd a virus, but I beg to differ. In almost 21 years of being on line, I never have. I am one that keeps virus protection, updates it, and does not click on links when I have even an ounce of doubt about it. He could not explain how I could get a virus when my system was alseep. So, that's a mystery as well. Anyway, right this minute, I'm so happy with my laptop, but my fingers are crossed that doesn't change :-)

I've had this laptop since Friday, and am pleased with nearly everything. The processor is fast and responsive. 8GB of RAM is definitely noticeable. I haven't noticed any lag or stuttering during any of my tasks. The hardware is well built and feels great, much lighter than it looks. The speakers are the only issue I've seen. They are loud, but are very tinny. Sound doesn't seem natural when watching a movie.

The biggest issue is the amount of bloat Dell puts in their software. I'm not a fan of game or software demos, and there are a lot on this laptop. There is even a dedicated button to launch the game service in the top right corner. With the terabyte hard drive, these programs likely won't be noticed, but still an inconvenience to mention.

For this price, the value is obvious. I would recommend this to anyone who needs a new laptop.

Buy Dell Inspiron i15R-2105PNK 15-Inch Laptop (Pink) Now

If I had not been that I was in need of a replacement laptop I would not have made this purchase. I should have listen to my gut feeling and canceled this order. The screen is nice but that is all the good that I can say about the machine. Considering that it has 8 GB DDR it really isn't that fast. I was going to upgrade to and Hybrid drive like with my old machine that would give me the small SSD and a 7200 rmp drive but after checking with dell this machine as an old connection for the hard drive so of course the only place I could find a hard drive was with Dell and it wasn't any better that what is it. The track pad is a pain because if you touch it while typing you are all over the place. This machines weight is almost 10 lbs not something I can have sitting on my lap as what a laptop is made to do. Yes they use to be even heavier but now anything over 5lb seems a little outdated. Yes. I should have done even more research and trusted my gut. The worst part was that within 30 days the price dropped over 150 dollars and Amazon does not have what a lot of the sites have that if it's lower within 30 days they will refund you. That's not the computers flaw but all the other are. Never a Dell again. We had XPS and they were junk and Dell did not stand behind the problems. Lesson learned even if you need a new computer really bad and you are still unsure. Stay unsure and get what will work for you and not be sorry. Lucky Lenovo's direct site had a fantastic sale over the Black Friday weekend sale and got a better laptop and someone else is going to take this one.

Read Best Reviews of Dell Inspiron i15R-2105PNK 15-Inch Laptop (Pink) Here

Picked this particular Dell laptop over a similarly-priced Sony because this one had a slightly better processor, more RAM, and a larger HDD. The Dell was about $50 more, but in my mind that's a no-brainer. Another bonus is that this model came with Windows 7, and not Windows 8. Like any Microsoft Operating System release, I'm not even considering the newest one until there is a Service Pack 1 update available. This model sports an Intel Core i5 processor. I've found that the main difference between i5 and i7 is Hyperthreading support. If you don't plan on running applications that will take advantage of Hyperthreading, there's not much sense in spending the extra cash for the i7 processor.

Display is nice and large and the laptop didn't have too much preloaded software. Dell includes a nice utility to register the laptop, and even better, automatically uninstalls the registration utility when it's finished. It was a simple matter to uninstall the remaining items I didn't want before adding my own anti-virus and Office software.

The main complaints I have are the lack of a USB 3.0 interface, no backlit keyboard, and a simply huge touchpad. I'm not kidding about the touchpad it's so large that I keep hitting it with the palm of my right hand. I suppose I will get used to it, but I still can't figure out why anyne would need a touchpad that large.

There have been no signs of heat issues as reported by a couple of other users. Perhaps defective processor fans? Anyway, I'm happy with the purchase so far and will update the review if any negative points develop.

Want Dell Inspiron i15R-2105PNK 15-Inch Laptop (Pink) Discount?

I purchased this laptop about a month ago for basic use (internet, videos, word processing, etc) and it has so far been wonderful.

Pros:

Fans are very quiet and this machine almost never feels warm even after watching a movie. Very surprised after reading other reviews that say it can sometimes run hot.

Fantastic keyboard.

Very nice sound quality. Sound is better in my headphones than my iMac.

Nice graphics.

Perfect size.

Cons:

Battery life is only ~4 hours.

A little heavier than other new laptops, though this isn't a big issue.

*I have not tried gaming on this computer.

Overall, I'd say this computer is a great purchase for any student, especially for the price.

Read More >>