It is as good as I thought it would be! I love the buttons display and is very practical to use and very quick.
Showing posts with label new laptops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new laptops. Show all posts
Acer Aspire AS5733-6838 Laptop, Intel Core i3-380M, 2.53GHz, 4GB, 500GB, 15.6" HD CineCrystal LED-b
It is as good as I thought it would be! I love the buttons display and is very practical to use and very quick.
Sony VAIO EG2 Series VPCEG25FX/B 14-Inch Laptop (Charcoal Black)
OK, it's true, people who are new to computers are what every vendor is only too happy to sell whatever to. You gotta do the homework. But the ones who complain about how a vendor won't take a system back with just a few insignificant chihuahua bites on it are the same ones who complain when they get a system that has been repackaged after being "ripped to shreds by some vicious beast". But back to the Sony. There are fundamentally 4 types of portables these days: desktop replacements (DR), notebooks, tablets and phones. The DRs are 17" machines that are perfect if you need a real computer with you that "only" weighs like 10 lbs. The phones and tablets are pretty self-evident. The Notebook genre are what we're dealing with here. They're streamlined computers with 13-15" screens, no hot hardware graphics support and light weight, around 5 lbs. These days you can get those down to the four hundred dollar range. But things get pretty minimal at that price.The Sony is IMHO a very reasonable compromise in that it's got some serious chops for a notebook. It's not one of the $2K+ micro-Ferraris, that sport a 14" screen but a uranium case and all the goodies you can imagine. The i5 is an appropriately fast CPU w/ 2 cores (4 threads) running up to 3 Ghz, an appropriate 640 GB drive, 4 USB2 ports, an "8 hour" battery and a CD/DVD burner. The 4GB RAM is of course too little, and they should have used a single 4GB stick to make it cheaper to upgrade to the more appropriate 6-8GB (on a 64 bit OS, especially with shared RAM video). The extras are nice. Decent Camera, HDMI out, SD etc card slots, gigabit ethernet, WiFi. The "goodies" you might miss if you want a serious DR aren't there: Accelerated graphics, USB3, Bluetooth, Blu-Ray, Firewire, expansion card slot. And so? The trade-off is you can carry this with you everywhere, it's thin and light, it's a fast processor, and it runs for many hours on a charge (not 8, come on, unless you're into watching the screen-saver or nodding out and typing with your forehead in Notepad).
I got ours on sale for like five fifty, and added forty bucks in RAM and twenty for a mouse. Would have gotten the white, but it was over a hundred more. It's sort of a Macbook for the rest of us in that it's well-made, not ugly, it has everything we need, not too expensive, and it's very very handy. The keyboard and trackpad are not luxurious, but fine. The fourteen inch 1366x768 screen is nice, the image/color is clean, it plays back 720p HD native, and 1080 just fine. Again, you are not getting accelerated gamer graphics, or a 1080p native screen. You just have to decide if you need a Notebook or a DR. I have an older HP 17" DR that almost killed several stewardesses coming out of the overheads, and I swore the next laptop was not going to be a back-breaker. The one shortcoming on the Sony that's hard to understand is the really low volume on the speakers I haven't found a way yet to boost it, say by tweaking the EQ. That irritating detail and the "toss 2 sticks" RAM upgrade path cost it a star. And don't pay list! Other than that it's a primo little Notebook.
Buy Sony VAIO EG2 Series VPCEG25FX/B 14-Inch Laptop (Charcoal Black) Now
I really enjoy this laptop, SONY has been doing great now by lowering prices of certain models without decreasing the quality of its computer.Read Best Reviews of Sony VAIO EG2 Series VPCEG25FX/B 14-Inch Laptop (Charcoal Black) Here
This was my daughters christmas gift but I'm thinking about getting another for myself.. everything that describes this laptop was just that and more!!!Want Sony VAIO EG2 Series VPCEG25FX/B 14-Inch Laptop (Charcoal Black) Discount?
Alright, I bought this Sony Vaio through PCNation for about 690 dollars with factory sealed packaging and warranty. I could of have got a better deal with other sellers for around 650 dollars. I was originally suppose to receive it in 1-3 days but the delivery delayed until the following week. PCNation shipping and handling really sucked. The charge to return the laptop was very pricey for me, about a $110 dollar out-of-pocket expense because I opened the package. Also, about $100 dollar battery adapter replacement because my sister's stupid chihuahua chewed on a little bit of the wire, and they couldn't accept a damaged battery adapter. The adapter works brand new and they couldn't accept it because of that small portion of the wire that was chewed on so I decided just to keep the laptop instead of paying all that money just to return it. I'm a freshman in college and I use this laptop for school. So far, I like almost everything about the laptop; the performance, the 8-hour battery life,the keyboard, and it's weight. So the price of this laptop is probably reasonable because of the specs.What I really hate about is the small display and the graphics card. The screen is too small, and when I'm using the laptop I would have to scoot up closer to read what's on the screen, and I would have to slouch down in order to see everything on the screen so a 15 inch laptop would've been more suitable for me. The graphics card is an Intel HD 3000 and it's decent but it's not that great when watching 360p+ youtube videos and video editing. Also, 640 GB, I doubt I would need that much, 500 GB would've probably been okay for me and the price could've been lower.
My regret is that I could have got a better deal with an 15 inch ASUS or an HP Laptop for the same specs and for a price around $500 dollars with a 1-year norton anti-virus program and Microsoft Office 2010 amounting about to the same price of how much I purchased this Sony Vaio. This Sony Vaio is my first laptop and prior to purchasing it I wasn't very knowledgeable of laptop values. I went to bestbuy, I checked out numerous sites and reviews on laptops and the bad reviews usually swayed me from not selecting that laptop. I couldn't find any reviews for this Sony Vaio so there were no bad reviews to sway me from not buying it.
For any first time laptop buyer, I recommend buying from a store like best buy and check out the laptop first-hand to see if you really wanted instead of ordering online.
I asked numerous people of advice on buying a laptop. And at least now I have a better understanding of laptops and I will know what laptop I would buy on my own next time without the help of other people.
Overall, I wouldn't recommend anyone getting this laptop, it's too overpriced for it's specs.
Acer 15.6" i3-2330M 2.20 GHz Notebook | AS5750-6493
Acer does not fail when it comes to laptops. This thing is amazing/fast/beautiful/Just all around great. I have had this laptop for 3 months, and so far i have completely fallen in love with this laptop. The battery life is around 4 hours browsing time, which is pretty good. I would recommend when buying, getting another 4gb ram stick for faster performance on everything (Gaming, browsing, video watching, ect.)
Sony Vaio VPCEB3QFX/WI Laptop (Intel Core i3-370M 2.40GHz, 4GB DDR3, 320GB HDD, W7 Home Premium)
This is one of the worst Laptop I have ever seen,you can read my complete post of issues on the Microsoft LinkThe bottom line is this product does not have
1) N 6200 wireless card ( dual band) as mentioned by Sony VIAO.
2) it has 1000 BGN link wireless card which is not compatible with the chipset
I have returned 3 laptops ( made mistake 3 times)
though i have not bought it from Amazon, but I believe the laptop has an issue since I had bought from 2 different vendors
1) office max (very bad) will never buy any thing from them
2) circuit city
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HP - Pavilion Laptop DV7-3085DX 17.3" LED Wide Screen 6GB Ram, 500GB HDD
I've had this computer for over 2 years now, and have only recently had to replace the power cord. Being a truck driver, my power cords are often mangled easily, but this one lasted much longer than expected. As far as the physical casing goes, there is no major wear on any part of the computer and only a small chip on the case from dropping it off of a three-foot high shelf onto a steel floor a couple times. I've never had a laptop that was able to withstand the abuse of being in a truck nearly as well. It is also capable of complete versatility; I handle all of my financial documents, taxes, trip paperwork, video calls to family back home, and anything I need for my business with it, and am still able to play some of the more advanced computer games (even WoW plays on high-res with no lag). Overall, I would highly recommend this system for anyone interested in a good, stable, versatile computer that can take pretty much anything you throw at it!
Buy HP - Pavilion Laptop DV7-3085DX 17.3" LED Wide Screen 6GB Ram, 500GB HDD Now
This laptop has everything I would ever need. I have had this laptop for two years and haven't found anything I don't like about it. To be honest with vista vs windows 7, vista is the best in my opinion. I know this laptop comes with vista, but a lot of stuff requires vista or older. Great laptop.Read Best Reviews of HP - Pavilion Laptop DV7-3085DX 17.3" LED Wide Screen 6GB Ram, 500GB HDD Here
Sony VAIO VGN-FW350J/H 16.4-Inch Laptop (2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 Processor, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB
These are the things that sold me on this particular VAIO:Under $1000
Huge resolution (1600x900)
Blu-Ray
Wireless N
Amazing dolby sound
Keyboard has independently isolated keys
The fact that it is relatively light weight and looks amazing was just a bonus.
Some impressions after several days of use:
The touchpad is superior to those on dell laptops I've owned.
The speaker is huge, it spans almost the width of the entire laptop.
The media buttons, especially av mode, are slick.
Blu-ray playback is flawless.
Battery life out of the box was about 3 hours, but using heavily optimized settings (in vaio control center) I've achieved upwards of 5 hours.
Webcam+Mic+Speakers = very high quality skype calls, better than my bluetooth headset.
The location of the power button and charging plug-in is really, really slick.
Only frustration:
I have not been able to output via HDMI at 1080p, despite being hooked up to a 42" 1080P LCD. 720P works fine, but for some unknown reason 1080P is grayed out in the settings.
First it's important to know that the laptop arrives with the default set at 720p and must be manually changed to 1080p when utilizing the HDMI connection.
Next is you must change the viewing to only external monitor otherwise you cannot watch a Bluray dvd. You will recieve a security problem issue which will not allow you to proceed watching the movie if both the laptop monitor and the TV are viewable at the same time.
I guess someone feels you're attempting to make a illegal copy?
Next is really important especially to all Disney Bluray DVD owners.
When you watch the previews of coming attractions everything looks and sounds great on your Sony TV from the laptop HDMI connection.
However, when the movie plays you will lose the sound. NO SOUND!
Even the Sony technitions were baffled.
Here's the reason....
The Disney soundtrack is automatically default set for 7.1 surround sound.
You cannot hear the sound at this default setting.
You must access the DVD setup menu and change the audio to ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK.
This happened with "Sleeping Beauty", "Pinochio" & Wall-E.
I only own these 3 Bluray DVD's so no one could figure out why I wasn't hearing the sound when the movie played.
Also, I might add that the movies play great on the laptop no matter which audio track you utilize.
This problem only happens with the HDMI connection to a TV such as my new Sony KDL-46XBR6.
The only other item I will mention is the volume on the laptop is really low when watching a movie so plan to use headphones or an external powered speaker when a little noise is in your enviroment.
I plan to keep this laptop because overall it performs great even with Windows Vista installed.
UPDATE:
I contacted tech support at Sony again and this time talked to someone who knew what the problem was and changed a setting on my laptop.
The result is that all Bluray DVD's will play okay with 7.1 surround sound thru the HDMI port.My old Sony died unexpectedly, so I needed a system that was ready to go, not one to order customized, as it shipped faster. I looked at other brands, but knowing how great the Sonys are for graphics I decided to stick with what I love.
This laptop is terrific as far as brightness and clarity of display. I've never seen brighter, and I work on friends laptops all the time. I couldn't ask for better. The 4GB of RAM and Windows 64 bit Vista are very responsive. My only complaint with the 64 bit version is I've already found a couple of common software programs that are not 64-bit compatible.
I'd highly recommend this laptop for out-of-the-box readiness to go.I was pretty happy with it until I checked the hard drive space: only 287 GB out of 320 GB AND no other partition! Where did the remaining 33 GB go? There usually is a partition that adds up to the total number of GB.
I like the color (gray) and it's a pretty good deal for the price. Bluetooth and wireless N!!I purchased this product in February and after 4 months I can state that this is a great value purchase. It's hard to find a comparable product with Blu-Ray etc. from a name that is known for great products and great customer service (Sony).
Pro's: Beautiful display, Blu-Ray drive, light-weight (for the screen size), price
Con's: Limited battery life, When upgrading to Windows 7 (Evaluation Copy) the shortcut keys become disabled with no patch/fix out from Sony yet, relatively low speaker volume.
This is a dream machine for the basic PC user, just open it up, plug it in and you are good to go. Out of the box it takes about 10-15 minutes to enter your information and register the product with Sony. Once you get to getting you feel for it you will notice that the display is amazing (especially when playing a blu-ray player). If you are using this as a desktop replacement you should definitely have external speakers to use with it due to the limited volume output from the built-ins.
My only issue is if you are like me and feel the urge to upgrade to Windows 7, beware that the "short-cut/quick keys" for media playing (pause, volume up & down and the s1 button etc.) will be disabled with no fix yet from Sony.
Hope this helps!
Apple MacBook Pro MD322LL/A 15.4-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION)
Let me start with the good:So awesome. Great OS, fabulous improvements to the existing line bumping up the processor speed and adding the thunderbolt port. This is my second MacBook. The first one I had was a 2006 model, not the Pro. I fell in love with it. This one has had the same effect. I had upgraded my old MacBook to Lion, so I kind of knew what I was getting, but hadn't been able to enjoy some of the awesome new multi-touch features. The improvements to the OS have been relatively gradual, but substantive. The feel of this machine compared to the old MacBook is far superior. The Unibody construction is solid, sleek and beautiful. It is everything I'd hoped it would be from a look and feel standpoint, but somehow a bit more sturdy.
For the not so good, I got the stock screen which is VERY glossy. I mean ... REALLY glossy. It's still beautiful and has better color reproduction than I could ever expect from a notebook. The reflectiveness of the display is only a minor inconvenience if you work in a controlled-lighting environment like me (I prefer it dark) or if you can crank up the brightness.
My real problem with it? The statement of 7 hour battery life is not just mere exaggeration -it's a lie. I challenge anyone to show proof that through anywhere near normal use can get more than 2.5 hrs out of it. I've got the brightness all the way down to just one notch above 'off' and the keyboard backlight off. The first full charge of this battery got me only about 2 full hours. Enabling the battery timer is useless. The "Time remaining" goes from 4 hours plus to less than 2 hours over the span of about 10 minutes. It's a joke. It's so bad that I'm thinking I only got half a battery or something.
I have an extended battery on a Dell notebook that gives me 7.5 hrs of regular use, and had an extra "slice" battery that attached to a Compaq elitebook that gave me 7-8 hrs. I know what 7 hrs of battery looks like. This ain't it.
My only other complaint is that it gets really hot. There's a reason they aren't called laptops. :-)
If you buy this don't go into it expecting 7 hrs of battery life, and you'll be perfectly satisfied.
All that being said, I think I'm done buying Windows PCs.
UPDATE:
With the help of some responders to my original review, I am seeing much better results from the battery close to 5 hrs + of normal use. Leaving the original text of the review intact, but updating the rating to the 5 stars the product deserves. I'm extremely satisfied. Very happy Mac owner. :-D
I researched this purchase EXTENSIVELY via Amazon, Best Buy, other retailers, and my local university (with educational pricing for staff/students/faculty). In the end, I ended up purchasing this machine from Best Buy as the price was the same and I had a line of credit (although I had to pay tax: hey, someone has to help pay for our roads, right?)
In short, I can't say enough positive things about this purchase. This machine is INCREDIBLY fast, the interface is slick (although it takes some getting used to coming from the Windows world especially window minimizing and the function keys), and with an iPhone 4S and iPad 2, iTunes syncing is a DREAM compared to Windows (on purpose, El Steve?).
The screen is plenty big (if you're waffling between 15" and 17", go to a local Best Buy or Apple Store and play around with each the 17" has better resolution, but lift them up and check the weight I prefer the 15" for portability and weight, but you're choice will depend on use), and I ordered the 8GB memory package from Amazon (which should show up any day now). Regarding memory I will say: 4GB is just enough; the OS and apps eat up just about every bit, so I'm looking forward to 8GB.
The backlit keyboard is a dream to type on, the magnetic charger is kid-proof, and the multi-touch trackpad alone is well worth the price (I'm a big fan of the two-finger "reverse scrolling", the back-and-forth swiping in Safari is SO convenient, and the 3/4 finger swiping to bring up LaunchPad and the like is great).
My sole complaint is the lack of USB ports, but only because I'm using a Logitech M305 wireless mouse. If I had a true Mac-compatible Bluetooth mouse this wouldn't be an issue, but in hooking up an external USB drive for Time Machine backups (a Western Digital 2TB) and the Logitech dongle, I'm out of USB ports when I have to sync my iPhone or iPad. But hey, with everything else being incredibly integrated, I'm not complaining THAT much.
Taking and syncing videos and pictures via my iPhone (the local Christmas parade!) is flawless, and iTiVo is a must for those with TiVos.
Regarding apps, take a look at Moom, Alfred, DaisyDisk, AppTrap (for uninstalling apps), and Handbrake.
I may end up getting the Applecare plan (part # MD012LL/A), but if I do, I'll get it elsewhere ($244 from other sites vs. $335 from Amazon, just do a search on Google Shopping for the aforementioned part number).
In summary, this machine is already making my life easier with regard to home pictures and video, expanding my family's use of our iPad, and backups. Good-bye Windows, Hello Mac!
Buy Apple MacBook Pro MD322LL/A 15.4-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION) Now
(Over three years of experience in IT with Mac Products)-=[750GB Version]=-
I've been maintaining/repairing computers for ten years but the product that has made a huge impact on my life is the Mac. After working with Windows NT, 98, 2000, and XP. I'm glad that I was introduced to the Mac line when the White/Black Macbook was just coming out. Since then, once you go Mac, you can't go back.
Apple is a great company, many people think they've overrated and overcharge for their products. The main product you're paying premium for is their operating system and customer support. The operating system is what makes the Mac run so smoothly and safely. You can see the OS works very well with the right specifications, and worry free in regards to getting a virus. How often do you hear about a Mac user running into a virus issue, rarely.
I've worked with the old Macbook Pro 15" with the i7 Dual Core. This is a huge upgrade from that, it has a performance score twice as much as last years model. This is one of the latest processor in a laptop market today. This is an i7 Quad Processor, and of course I am happy that this is an Intel processor and not AMD. I upgraded to Corsair 8GB 1333mhz Ram. Together with the processor makes this a great buy for multitasking.
The screen is very reflective. When I use this outdoor it proves a problem to see and I end up squinting at times. But if you're majorly using the screen indoor (like I do), you will only see how beautiful this screen lights up. It's really instant on thanks to being LED and you can see how thin that screen is. The resolution on this Macbook is a big improvement over the last years model as well, thanks to the 1GB graphic card.
Now you're probably wondering, why I mention this Macbook is for everything. Three simple reasons, it has the graphics card (1GB) that can make it do the most intensive graphic program, we've reached the time when programs are being made for both Windows and Mac, and lastly it can have Windows 7 installed as well.
The graphics has amazed me. I've played Starcraft 2, Day of Defeat Source, Team Fortress 2, and Grand Theft Auto IV on high settings. I even can play Battlefield 3 as well while on Medium setting and the quality is beautiful (installed on Windows). The graphics card plays an additional role in the speed of the computer. You can have a great processor and a large amount of ram. But when it comes to watching HD videos, video editing, or playing games, the graphic card has to be good a well. 1GB I guarantee you will have plenty and is just on par with a desktop gaming computer. Most games that are graphic intensive recommends 1GB, looks like this Macbook is prepared!
Many people say, "Mac's are not made for gaming". You can definitely prove them wrong now, you have a 1GB card and that saying is old now. There are many games out available for Mac and they work stunningly great on it. I am surprise myself that Battlefield 3 ran so great! You can get AutoCad, Photoshop, and so much more. But if there's a certain window product you need to install, well here's my third reason.
You now can feel like you paid for TWO laptops and operating systems, thanks to Boot Camp.
You can install Windows 7 on this laptop thanks to boot camp. Just hold down the ALT key upon boot up after you install it and choose either Mac or Windows to use. Apple has a built in program that walks you through it just like turning on a computer. It's so simple. you'll have Windows 7 on this laptop in an hour, thats how long it took me. Thanks to having Windows installed, I can install any program I want. This has a 750GB hard drive so there is a large amount of space for both OS. This Macbook is now definitely made for everything.
Sorry to say but the battery life is not the rated seven hours unless you plan to only do word documents, light internet surfing, and brightness all the way down. If you play games, browse the web heavily, socialize, webcam, and brightness all the way up, you'd get most likely 3-4 hours only. This is ok for me because I can adjust accordingly of how much power I need. If I'm in class, I'll be having my brightness level down and the battery can last long just fine. As for gaming, I'll make sure to be at a desk and with my power adapter handy. Battery life doesn't affect me whatsoever, and comparing Mac to other 15.4 inch laptops, the Mac has a great power management built in the OS that makes sure it uses next to no battery usage while on standby.
Overall for the price, you're not paying for just the cool factor of Apple, but for the customer support as well. If you have a problem with the Mac, there's a Genius Bar in the Apple Store there with experts to help you out. Within the first year after purchasing it's free help. Even after the one year they will not mind taking a look to see what the problem is. But with warranty, whatever problems occur they will help you step by step and take the right actions to make sure you leave the Apple Store satisfied in solving your problem.
I do not work for Apple, but if I did I'm sure I'd enjoy sharing my experience with why Mac is far more superior at Windows. I used Windows for years but a Mac is so much easier to use in comparison, I've converted many of my family/friends into using it, and they now feel the same way I do about what their next laptop should always be.
Read Best Reviews of Apple MacBook Pro MD322LL/A 15.4-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION) Here
I got my first MacBook Pro in 2006. It worked like a dream and I could not have had a better computer on which to complete a PhD. At that time there was iLife with iWeb so I could launch a website instantly having created a dot mac (later Me) account. It worked tremendously until about 2010, after which I foolishly decided to trade it in for a souped up second hand model (thought of as a cheap MBP upgrade) that was unfortunately coming from non authorised apple repairers and was faulty. I've learned my lesson. With the new MBP I purchased Apple Care almost as soon as I got the machine extending its authorised warranty service for 3 years.So now I'm typing this on the new MBP. I have noticed that the battery does not really seem to last 7 hours. In a way, it charges up worryingly fast to seem to retain charge. The sound (I mean videos and multimedia) is simply not as loud as the previous MBP, maybe the loudspeakers are less powerful. My iPhone 4S seems to be louder than this (when not connected to external sound systems). The default screen is glossy though you can get a matte. I just have to say it is too glossy and the default should be a matte screen with the option for gloss. The glossy screen would prevent its adequate use in full sunlight and I have to put up with my reflection. I have since fitted a Moshi iVisor that helps considerably.
Significant improvements to the last MBP include the improved magsafe connector the wires of which do not get frayed and exposed due to stressful kinks between the plug and the power cord; the new design prevents kinking by keeping the cord straight. The unibody feels nice and rigid and keeps itself cool without the loud fan of the previous MBP. It is now very much more solid and silent as it works. You can't even hear the hard disk, so it feels like it has a SSD.
For its price, this computer is not worth it. My old MBP was considerably cheaper and Apple have really jacked up the price. The amount of RAM in the standard model (4GB, 8 would have been better) even with 750GB hard disk does not seem sufficient for the price.
The software is more troubling: The problem is the reduced iLife capability such as killing iWeb and issues with OS Lion. With OS lion, I just don't understand Mission Control, it seems to be a useless gimmick. The updated Safari browser works a lot worse than before, I can never seem to get the window I want (e.g., in the past when I opened Safari naturally it launched on the home screen, then you changed window and if you started a new window it would retain the same window, but the control of these windows is now much diminished). Features like Spaces and Stacks are also gimmicky. Each time I start the computer it reopens the software I took pains to shut down at the end of the last session. Disabling this does not seem to work. It constantly seems to open iCal even though I don't want it to do so. This process of reopening a great deal of software makes the booting up very slow. Ironically, the booting up speed is not faster than my old MBP, it may even be slower.
This MBP, if you want the bells and whistles such as 16GB of RAM (installable yourself), Apple Care warranty protection, leaving aside cosmetic externals like a hard shell or an antireflective screen will set you back an additional $750 approximately. That makes this computer about as expensive as they come. Of course these two features are optional, though perhaps a lower price with an iWeb type capability may have helped.
As for the future, I don't think an MBP without a CD/DVD drive would be very useful in the much anticipated upgrade (as rumoured). The improved IvyBridge chip will excite techies though will really jack up the price even more. I am very pleased with this MBP overall and will just end up spending far more money than is justified.
Want Apple MacBook Pro MD322LL/A 15.4-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION) Discount?
I needed a new laptop and got the Mac because of I wanted a Unix based system for programming. I've been dual-booting into Linux for too long and though Linux is outstanding, many softwares do not have a Linux version (don't get me started).It's been 3 weeks with the new Mac and so far I am very pleased with my purchase. However, there are certain things that the Mac is missing which seem like daily necessities to me. It would seem that Apple purposely left them out in a snobbish attempt to establish "the Mac is different".
Depending on the kind of person you are and your usage type, these may or may not be a deal breaker for you.
1. It does not have a standard uninstaller. Coming from Linux's package managers, this is absolutely disappointing. You may have heard that uninstallation is as easy as trashing the app but I wish that were true. Some apps leave files scattered on your hard disk which are hard to find and trash for even a fairly tech savvy person. There are 3rd party softwares, free and not, which can do the job for you but didn't you already pay a premium for buying the Mac?
2. It does not have built-in read-write (r/w) NTFS support. That means if you have an external NTFS formatted drive or a PC that you are sharing with the Mac, you can't persist anything there. Again, compared with the built-in NTFS r/w support in Linux, this seems to be soooo year 2000. There are 3rd party softwares that do this, of course, for a cost.
3. The laptop keyboard does not have a DEL key, only BACKSPACE (called delete, go figure). You can Fn + delete to delete but I'd think delete is quite a commonplace functionality to be missed out.
4. It does not have HOME or END keys either. You can control + A for home and control + E for end but frankly, do you really want to remember all these shortcuts?
I work on computer programs for a living and have figured out ways to work around the above problems. IMHO, not everyone may be willing or able to do that. The graphics and aesthetic is beyond cool but PCs can boast of that too.
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Asus X501A-DH31-WT 15.6-Inch Laptop
I replaced my 5 year old Toshiba laptop with this ASUS and have been very impressed. I was just looking for a basic laptop for web browsing, email, Youtube, etc, and this fit the bill. It's slim and lightweight (at least compared to the other older laptops we have) and runs very cool. With the Intel i3 processor along with 4GB of RAM it's not cutting edge by any means, but as a basic laptop it's more than enough.I've got an ASUS netbook that's a couple of years old and have had no issues at all with it, and hopefully the new laptop will fare as well. If you're looking for a good, basic laptop then put this on your list.
Buy Asus X501A-DH31-WT 15.6-Inch Laptop Now
They won't give me back refund....sucksI just open and use couple hours....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We are truly sorry, but I have been informed by our returns department that we received your return of the ASX501DH31W ASUS 15.6"NTBK WH;I3-2350M which had already been opened and used.
Unfortunately we cannot authorize/process your return since you did not return this properly according to our guidelines in our return policy, which you can see listed on our web site: (partially copied here in the next paragraph.) as well as on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aag/details?ie=UTF8&asin=&isAmazonFulfilled=&isCBA=&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&orderID=&seller=A17MC6HOH9AVE6&sshmPath=returns#aag_returns
Returned or exchanged products must be in brand-new, mint condition. Items must be in the original, undamaged manufacturer's packaging with all packaging materials, including instruction booklets, packing inserts, and the blank warranty cards. Any merchandise missing the original Universal Product Code (UPC) cannot be returned. The manufacturer's labeled packaging must be enclosed within an additional shipping carton. Please do not place stickers or shipping labels on the original manufacturer's package. Please ship your parcel back to Adorama freight prepaid and Insured. Sorry, Adorama cannot accept COD or freight-collect shipments. Return shipping cost (the cost to send an item back to our store) is not reimbursable. …….Notebooks netbooks, laptops, tablets and computers cannot be returned or exchanged once opened or unwrapped.
Our returns department cannot issue refund since in this condition, the manufacturer considers this as not ours to return but rather it belongs to the customer, and therefore they will not accept it back from us for credit.
Since this is NOT defective, it's just that you No longer needed/wanted
It wasn't easy to use windows 8. I couldn't get internet connection with my internet cable..I couldn't figure out to install skype too...
I am sorry, but sice this is not defective per your email request to return this (and you don't have a case#) we can either return this to you or if you cannot accept this back, we will have no choice but to split the loss and process your return less 50% and sell it a a "Used" item.
Please reply ASAP within 3 business days.
Thank you for your patience and understanding
Read Best Reviews of Asus X501A-DH31-WT 15.6-Inch Laptop Here
HP 15.6" G56-129WM Laptop PC with Intel Celeron 900 Processor & Windows 7 Home Premium
Recently bought an HP 15.6" G56-129WM Laptop PC with Intel Celeron 900 Processor & Windows 7 Home Premium. Had some issues that were effectively addressed by the seller. Got great timely post purchase support.
HP Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook 15t-4000 (Silver); Intel Core i7-3517U, 15.6" FULL HD 1080p IPS
The touch screen is of course the first thing you might notice with this lightening fast laptop. And, well, the touch screen feature is quite awesome, but the dual drives and instant on function are worth the extra expense. Getting used to the new format and layout of Windows 8 requires the user to rethink a few things, but the UI is slick and fast and easy.This will get you noticed in the office if that is important, more important to me are the features. The light up keys, the speed of the processesor, the ram and then there is the screen. Beautiful images. Ok so I sound like an HP paid fan, but while I love their products, I have owned and used other brands and work with Macs all day at the office. So many co workers are Mac fanatics and pay much more for what this laptop delivers. The bang for the buck here is substantial. .
I was concerned moving from a 17 inch screen to a 15 inch but am doing just fine. I did buy an external DVD drive/ burner because of all the files I have at home on disk. But I have only used the external drive once so far and have yet to take it to work.
If you want Windows 8 touch screen capacity then take this model for a spin.
Hewlett Packard - HP Pavilion dv6t Quad Edition Espresso Black
Excellent laptop for the price. The only complaint I have is the screen is a little low resolution for my tastes and the DVD drive is somewhat hard to eject. In regards to the 1 star review the reviewer has said the same of other laptops as well... he can't possibly own them all. Maybe a little hate going on there.
HP support won't support it after the 14 day return policy.
no warranty guarantee HP suppport acknowledges that they're advertising on battery life is false advertising.
Buy Hewlett Packard - HP Pavilion dv6t Quad Edition Espresso Black Now
Apple MacBook 13" Intel Core Duo 2.0 GHz, 2GB, 250 Gb Hard Drive, Wi-fi, Camera, Mac Os 10.6 Snow L
It is a well built computer that despite it's age is very good for basic computing and tasks that are required such as using iWork's , office 08. RAM might be need a small boost but leaving that aside it is a very good computer that will serve my child very well for her high school years. Great piece of hardware to introduce someone to Mac OS without having to buy a new one.
Fujitsu FPCR61381 LIFEBOOK NH751 17.3" Notebook PC
I've had this laptop for a week and so far it's great. The screen is big and beautiful. It is huge but it's supposed to be. It's a desktop replacement. It also runs very quiet compared to other laptops I have. And there is a space for an additional hard drive. That is a HUGE bonus, and wasn't mentioned anywhere when I bought it. Stylewise is looks great too, especially the big speakers on top. The touchpad is very sensitive, and works much better than on other laptops I've seen, once you get used to it.The only real issue I had with it was the spacebar. If you didn't tap it right in the center, it wouldn't make a space. It was driving me nuts when typing. But I pried out the spacebar, put a small piece of foam underneath to force the button underneath down a little farther, and it worked like a charm. Now I barely touch the spacebar anywhere on it to make a space. It works perfectly.
UPDATE November 2012: About six months with this computer and it still works wonderfully. No problems.
I also miss the illuminated keyboard on my Asus.
Other than that it's a good computer.
Apple MacBook Air MC506LL/A 11.6-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION)
I've gone through more Apple computers--desktop, laptop, Power Macbooks, iBooks, iPads--since 1990 than I care to count. Out of all of them my favorite was easily the previous Macbook Air (the flash memory model). Forget about the specs. Once you get your hands on one of these, the specs on paper mean nothing. Suddenly every other Mac product seems clunky, overly hot and heavy. The Air is the only model I want to use, and actually do use--day after day. And in no time at all I discover how little use I actually make of a built-in CD/DVD drive or an extra USB port. (Granted, there are times you'll want to insert or burn a disc. I've had better success with $40 non-Apple external drives--currently, a Samsung--than with the Superdrive that Apple makes available for the Air at twice that price. Discs have a tendency to get stuck, and Apple leaves you no provision for mechanically ejecting a jammed disc.) As for a single USB port, a seven-buck 4-port Belkin hub solved that occasional limitation in an instant, though that may no longer be necessary since Apple has provided 2 USB ports, one on each side (the 11" model lacks the 13" model's SD card slot, which makes sense since those preferring the smaller model are less likely to be attracted to it for video/audio storage and editing).The only product I was awaiting from Apple was a quality "netbook," so what did they do? They produced the wildly popular iPad, which I barely use at all (for the grandkids' visit is about it). Why, I thought to myself, couldn't Apple at least include a keyboard with it and put a cover on it? Well, they did--and they have delivered in spades with this most recent MacBook Air. If you want all of the features of a conventional Macbook minus the weight, look at the 13", slightly more expensive, model. If you want the lightest, most practical machine available (for a writer--not a film editor or audio engineer), stick to the 11.6" model--and be sure to ignore the specs that suggest the common entry-level Macbook is faster, more powerful, etc. When it comes to the "unmeasurable" qualities, the immense satisfaction of writing with a full-sized keyboard on a featherweight machine, the Air is in a league of its own. (I tried a couple of non-Apple "netbooks" and sent them back because they felt like plastic toys made for munchkins.)
The one thing I didn't like about the previous Air--and it cost me in time and money--was the ill-conceived design of the hinges attaching the two halves of the machine. If you knicked one, the entire mechanism began a slow process of erosion, eventually affecting the entire internal circuitry of the machine and leading to repair costs practically equal to the price of the new Airs (the original flash drive models cost over 2 G's). Thank goodness Apple has re-designed the hinge mechanism, making it possible to open the cover some extra inches and without fear of damage to the hinge, the machine, or the user's wallet.
Battery life on the previous model was noticeably limited, especially to someone like me who likes to run a bright screen. The extended battery life of the new Airs (again, the 13" model's is "more" extended) makes it practical to leave the AC adapter at home--maybe for the entire day. Also, speed and graphics resolution, which I thought could not be improved upon, are better than the first model, both seemingly as good as it can possibly get. (Admittedly, the extra time is due, at least in part, to my not using an Air for storing photos, audio and video files and messing with gizmos like "Face Time.") The onboard sound is 50% better, with greater frequency range and authentic stereo sound rather than a single tiny speaker.
The concessions Apple has made for an improved Air are almost too insignificant to be worth mentioning. The machine no longer has the curved edges, which required a cute little trap door that you flipped open in order to connect a USB item, external audio device, or video display. Also, the keyboard itself no longer has backlighting, which was marginally useful at best (since the light could not shine through opaque keys).
Since I've made a couple of references to advantages of the 13" model, I'd better insert here that, as lightweight as it is, it still feels like a tank compared to the 11.6" model. Or to put it another way, the 13" Air is to the 11.6" Air what a conventional Macbook is to the Macbook Air. If I needed a 13" Air, I could probably still live with the first model if the price were right. The excitement, the break-through, the most desirable model, it seems obvious to me, lies with the new 11.6" Air, which is even priced lower than its bigger brother.
Finally, configuration and price. Even with the educational discount from Apple Store, Amazon's is overall the better deal. I probably would be happy with the Mac Air's most basic, least expensive configuration (which brings the machine in at under a G-note). For some reason, Amazon has chosen not to offer through Prime the several different configurations available for this model, but it makes sense that most users are likely to order the pictured version with 128 gigs of memory rather than the standard 64-gig model. Because of my last bad experience with breaking an Air hinge (and, even before that, the previous Air that I received from Amazon arrived DOA) I know I "should" order the warranty. But if Americans did that for every item they purchased, we'd all be in deeper hock than is already the case. Besides, as a second release of what was formerly a new model, the Mac Air has by now had time to work out the bugs. If not, I've never had any problems returning a defective product purchased from Amazon.
They say that the time of the "Netbook" has come and gone. Maybe so, but that's just quibbling about names. I predict the current "iPad" and computer tablet craze will turn out to be the real fad. (You can watch videos on a TV, for Pete's sake, and as clever as some of the thousands of "apps" are, unless you're a committed, 24/7, life-time gamer, they soon lose their allure not to mention actual "use" value.) The Mac Air, which was so maligned upon its first appearance, is one of the most useful, well thought-out, carefully designed and assembled products Apple has come to market with. It's here to stay--and for good reason. Don't wait for Steve Jobs to convince you that you need one, as was pretty much the case with the iPad. This is one machine that makes its own case, and if you've read this far, you probably deserve to have it under your fingers the sooner the better.
[2nd thought re: the Apple warranty. There's no getting around the fact that the Macbook Air is more about convenience than savings. In fact, the necessity of having Apple replace a worn-out battery (it'll happen sooner or later) may be sufficient reason to purchase the warranty (Apple gives you a time-frame for doing so, should you have ordered the machine without the warranty.)]
First of all, the 2nd generation Air is as slim as the previous one, and with the addition of new 11" model, it takes the slimness to next level. You will be stunned by just looking at its profile in person.
Secondly, the biggest differences you will notice at once are the screen is very crisp, even at the 11" model I bought, it can view significant size of the web pages and documents with no problem at all; also it got two USB slots, thanks Apple, they finally get it right; 13" weights as identical as the previous one, but 11" is less about half pound, not that much on the paper but you will immediately notice it when you actually hold it yourself.
Thirdly, speed of processor, to be honest and frank, since I have been using two generations of Macbook Pro, I was initially worried about the actual speed of the 1.4GHz of Intel chip. But after few days of using it, I have to admit it feels much faster than the old Macbook with 2.16GHz processor. I can open tons of web pages, iLife '11 and Office applications without any problem. Latest OSX Snow Leopard definitely helps a lot. But I doubt if anyone will use it for heavy processing work, i.e. video editing, music composing or lots of calculation, I don't think you shall get this one as your main computer though.
Fourthly, the SSD storage, since there are no moving parts, the laptop is very silent and cool, the reading of documents is fast, but not noticeable except using testing software. But booting up and waking up time are significant faster than the Hard-drive models.
Last but not the least, the battery lasts just what apple promises, with wifi on, surfing web, watching youtude, listening music and doing some Words editing can give you about 4 hours life. Consider the size of the laptop, it is more than just OK. Of course everyone is greedy, if you need longer battery life, go for 13". And to me personally, although the Macbook Pro 13" can last about 2 hours longer when doing the same tasks (with screen set at really low bright), I still feel more satisfied with Air 11" performance than the Macbook Pro 13", as Macbook Pro never gave me 10 hours as Apple claims.
In conclusion, the Second Generation of Macbook Air is not an overpriced Netbook for the hype, it is a true slim yet powerful laptop that you can actually carry with ease for daily work and entertainment without sacrifice too much for the speed. Steve Jobs once again stuns the market with this renovated master-piece, and with very attractive pricing. For this highly competitive pricing, the other slim laptop manufactures are going to have a tough time.
Be aware, DELL, ACER, TOSHIBA and SONY, APPLE is coming with an ultimate weapon at hand. Get ready, It is going to be a very tough fight!!!
FINAL WORD: GO FOR IT IF YOU CAN, YOU WILL BE A HAPPY MAN/WOMAN WITH THIS BABE IN YOUR HAND!!!
Buy Apple MacBook Air MC506LL/A 11.6-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION) Now
I just picked up this nifty piece of equipment today at a local big box store. I've read as many reviews as I could get my hands on and I will probably recap many of the same points.Context: I got this computer as a second device, mainly to work with Pages 'O9 documents and PDF files. I am writing a dissertation and plan on using this computer as the primary vehicle in my writing. I will use my other computer to store my music, family photos and videos.
AESTHETICS & BUILDThis is a beautiful computer, elegant in lines, and also stunning to the touch. All the surfaces feel smooth and solid. The screen is very crisp, more than my macbook i think, and offers what appears to be a very small resolution. You can really pack a lot on to this smaller screen. Using the computer on hard surface feels very stable, there is wiggling or rocking.
SPEED The computer feels surprisingly snappy for the rather low-end processor speed. From what I gather, the solid state drive enhances the speed of the processor to provide a rather smooth experience. I've been testing that a bit, and, I had pages open, a video running in Hulu, and everything went well. If I could have, I would have went with the 4 gb memory instead of the two. This computer isn't going to set any speed records, but it is fine for the average user i think.
BATTERY I will update this when i have more information after using it.
SPEAKERS The speakers are only so-so, about the same as other macs. And, something that i found annoying is that the speakers are sort of implanted under the keyboard. If you want to listen to music while typing up a word document, you feel vibrations from the music coming though. the simple thing is just to plug in a pair of headphones.
REMOTE FEATURE the Air has this feature that allows you to wireless connect to and run a drive on another computer in your wireless network, or, also tranfer files. I think this is going to come in very handy. But admittedly, I have yet to see what will happen. I have connected my own generic optical drive today to install Iwork 09 and worked fine. Although the thing looks like a beast compared to this little laptop.
MULTITIOUCH PAD I have an older macbook and hadn't experienced the new features of this trackpad. I was thinking that I might have use up one of the two USB ports on an external mouse. Now, I am considering leaving the mouse at home! This little trackpad packs a lot of effective multitouch features enabling easy scrolling, zooming in an out on webpages, and other moves I have yet to learn. Very sweet.
LACK OF COMPUTER LOCK Most full size laptops come equipped with a little hole to attach a security lock to make sure no one swipes your computer when you are the library or coffee shop. The Air does not have one. I am disappointed with that. But, as small as this thing is, and as fast as it boots up and wakes from sleep, I could probably just bring it with me whenever I leave the table.
Overall, this computer is going to have some trade offs, as many reviews across the web have noted. You are trading: built in optical drive, large storage capacity, and speed for a highly-mobile, enjoyable to use computer, then I think you will be very satisfied. This thing is WAY better than your average netbook and only a little less functional than the macbook or macbook pro. I would stress though that 128 gb of a hard drive is what i have and I would not go smaller than that. Great computer.
Read Best Reviews of Apple MacBook Air MC506LL/A 11.6-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION) Here
I have a somewhat interesting take on the 11.6-inch MacBook Air. I chose the 13-inch model for myself, but my father who is always on the go for business, chose this 11.6-inch model. He wanted the extra portability, and I wanted the extra performance of the larger machine.In the end, the story took a further twist. I sold the 13, and I now have this 11.6inch model as shown by Verified Amazon Purchase.
Visually, the machines look different. My (original) 13-inch model does not look significantly different from the front or rear compared to a full featured MacBook Pro. In other words, on the 13-inch model, which I still think is a fantastic choice for many, the footprint of the device is basically the same as a 13-inch MacBook Pro. The difference is the slim side profile, and the two missing pounds.
This 11-inch model is not only light and thin, but has a smaller footprint too. It is striking to see. It looks small, and it's gorgeous. My original 13 was light, but took up as much desk space or lap space as a 13-inch Pro essentially.
The drawbacks to this model and the reason I originally chose the 13-inch? The processor included in this 11-inch machine is a fair bit slower. Comparing some online benchmarks, this entry-level 11-inch model with the 1.4 GHZ Core 2 Duo brought in about 70 percent of the processing speed of the entry level 13-inch model. While other parts of the machine are equally as fast, such as the graphics processor, solid state storage, and memory, the processor performance difference is not insignificant. You do feel a slight performance difference between the 13 and 11.
The included storage on this model is 128 GB. Being a second Mac, I could have gotten by with the 64GB machine, but I got a good price on the machine here at Amazon, and I figure the extra storage will bump my resale value up someday, when the next revision is available. Still, you will have to be careful to not story lots of videos on here, of course, story a handful of movies for a trip is no problem. You main video library can simply remain on another Mac, and you can stream it over to Air via iTunes.
However, the storage is solid state and fast, which enables fast startups and allows the machine to still feel snappy despite the slower processor.
Apple specs the battery in this model at 5 hours, whereas the 13-inch model has a quoted 7 hours. Apple is using a new battery testing procedure, which is said to more accurately predict real world battery life. Nevertheless, the battery life edge does go to the 13-inch model. I find the Apple battery projections not awful, but I get about 1 hour less than the quoted on each machine, and I have relatively non intensive tasks I use the Airs to complete.
The display is no slouch despite its 11.6-inch size. Indeed, its resolution is similar to the Mac Book Pro's 13-inch display, so there is no question that the display is gorgeous.
iLife 11 is included and already installed on this device, so you will be able to take advantage of the latest iLife software right out of the box. Two USB ports and a mini display port allow for expandability and compatibility with external devices. Connect an external hard drive for expanded storage, or sync up your iPhone. No problem. Indeed, believe it or not, this small 11.6-inch MacBook Air can drive the 27-inch Cinema Display that Apple sells. That shows the impressive graphics performance this small machine offers.
The 13-inch asks you to take fewer sacrifices in terms of performance and storage. However, this 11.6-inch is oh so portable. Honestly, it's surprising when you see it in person. This 11.6-inch is probably destined to be the "cool," choice.
Overall, it is clear to see there are several drawbacks to the 11-inch model. Less storage, shorter battery life, and slower processor. However, there are several benefits: a smaller footprint, lighter weight, and therefore easier portability. Plus, there a cool factor that makes jaws drop when you pull this 11-inch model out of your bag. Despite its diminutive size, it's a quality product. Make no mistake about it, while it might be less powerful than other Mac notebooks, the 11-inch Air is no net-book. The quality and performance far outshines any net-book. This machine will serve your word processing, consumer photo editing, music listening, email writing, and web surfing needs without issue. I might caution its use as one's sole computer only due to the limited onboard storage, limited RAM, and somewhat slower performance (1.4 GHZ Core 2 Duo Processor). Highly recommend product for the correct application/use.
Want Apple MacBook Air MC506LL/A 11.6-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION) Discount?
I've been dying to get my hands on this 11 inch Macbook Air. I got to the store and waited less than a minute and I was using it. First thing I wanted to find out was if this was really like an actual laptop versus one of those slow Netbooks that I listen to peeps complain about. To my surprise this computer flies. I was really pleasantly surprised at the speed it moves at. So my next question was just how fast does the apps like Word come up. Boy was it quick. No slower than my computer at home. I was using the 1.4Ghz model running only 2GB RAM. The solid state drive was the 128GB model. Apple is going to sell a lot of these to people who want a super light laptop that has a bigger screen than your typical notebook and runs really quickly. So to put this thing to it's paces I downloaded Google Earth. The Apple store's connection was running at about 12 to 14Mbps yet it downloaded very fast. Installation was ridiculous quick and the next thing I knew I was flying across the globe and viewing my Panaramio pics that I had posted on Google Earth. The only thing that didn't happen was the pics giving the preview view, but hey I don't even get that on my i7 computer right away so who cares! The world spun and rotated while going from country to country and city to city as if I was on my computer at home. Amazing thin machine. The body is ultra-thin and the quality top notch like all of Apple's Unibody Aluminum machines. I totally can see myself running around with this beautiful laptop that weighs only 11 more ounces than the iPad. I have carried around an iPad with me all day and it is not heavy at all so another 11 ounces should be nothing. The new trackpad is wayyy nice. You will love it and I never even realized I didn't miss the mouse until later when I thought about it. No need for the rat anymore so those two USB ports that come with it are open for perhaps an SD card reader. The perfect machine to take with me so I can load my digital photos and view them on the nearly 12 inch screen ! (11.8 inches to be exact!) Another feature I will love is that you can plug in your Headset with mic and remote and talk on it using Skype and also play music while surfing. Very, very nice. This is just an initial review. After getting one I will be back to give more details.
HP ENVY Sleekbook 6-1014nr Laptop (AMD A6-4455M Accelerated Processor, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, 15.6 HD
Purchased due to broken laptop, love the aluminum case more protection than just the plastic. This thing is crazy thin as well, sleekbook for sure. No problems so far.
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