Pretty much the best purchase I have ever made. Shipping was faster than expected. The item is in better condition then I could of ever dreamed! I thought this laptop was one of those to good to be true items. Well, it wasn't. Buying this reassures any doubts I may have had about buying online from private sellers!I had this computer for a year and had no problems. I changed it from Vista to Windows 7, and that improved it. It always accomplishes what I need.This is probably the best laptop I have ever owned. I purchased it back in 2009 and am still using it today! Great purchase, well worth the price!Sony VAIO VGN-NW125J/T 15.5" Notebook (2.1GHz Core 2 Duo T6500 4GB RAM 320GB HDD DL DVD-RW Vista Ho
Pretty much the best purchase I have ever made. Shipping was faster than expected. The item is in better condition then I could of ever dreamed! I thought this laptop was one of those to good to be true items. Well, it wasn't. Buying this reassures any doubts I may have had about buying online from private sellers!I had this computer for a year and had no problems. I changed it from Vista to Windows 7, and that improved it. It always accomplishes what I need.This is probably the best laptop I have ever owned. I purchased it back in 2009 and am still using it today! Great purchase, well worth the price!Asus G60JX-RBBX05 Intel i5-430M, 4 GB, 500 GB, NVIDIA GTS360M, Webcam, 16-Inch LED, Windows 7 Noteb
I've been using an old Toshiba laptop for a long time, and it was time I upgraded. I'll start with what I was looking for: a powerful gaming laptop that I could still use for school. I certainly got what I asked for.It's positives are obvious at the very start. Its i5 processor and 4gb of ram make it lightning fast, this is in comparison to my friend's desktop that has several thousand dollars piled into it. I tested a multitude of games on it, Mass Effect 2 ran without a hitch at max settings, Left4Dead2 runs at max, even Starcraft2 on Ultra settings ran cleanly when playing normally (note custom maps are a different story, and if you've ever played a custom you know what I mean...). This of course is only possible because of the lower resolution. Since it's not at full 1080p, it can handle the amount of graphic intensity of high settings. In all honesty I love full hd, and am quite used to it, but the sacrifice of resolution for quality was well worth it. I can easily run any program without any issues, word, photoshop, et. Often enough I'll have a few things running and play starcraft2 at the same time without any slow down, which says a lot. All three ran without any frame rate issues. In terms of the actual look of the laptop, it's sleek and clean, it had no scratches or dings, and everything was intact. the keyboard and the wrist rests are textured, which I really like because it gives me some feeling to when I'm typing et. The extra touch buttons that allow you to turbo boost the cpu (possible since it's an i5) and turn the touchpad on and off are very helpful when you already have a mouse. The size of this laptop allows for a numpad, which I absolutely love because I HATE typing with the 10 button numbers. Also, the fact the keyboard has back light is quite nice in a dark environment. The webcam is good quality as well. For a refurb (after hearing the horror stories), mine is in perfect condition.
Now the negatives do exist, this laptop isn't perfect. The chiclet keyboard might be an issue for some, I know it's not much for me but since I'm so used to the responsiveness of a normal keyboard I have to adjust to the change. The speakers are a little low on volume, but all you have to change is the volume equalizer to on in Creative's audio driver. The laptop itself didn't come as I expected, it's black with a small streak of silver instead of the blue. I actually wanted blue as it matches my mouse and I love the color but why be picky, it still looks good. When the laptop came I had some fears instilled in me thanks to my paranoid friend, who told me that some refurbs come with no charger or battery, but I got this from Amazon and my fears were just that. However, even if it came with the charger and battery, what you do not get is the driver dvd, or a Windows disc. Now, this isn't too much of a problem as you can download all the drivers, but if you don't have a Windows disc redoing the system is impossible. Your Windows key is on the bottom of the laptop, but it's useless without the install disc. This issue became relevant as I redid the system because I didn't need or want the extra things installed on it (like roxio burn or some crappy antivirus trial et.). The only actual problem that I have with this laptop is the top edges of the laptop wrap around the screen for a few pixels... thought it was strange design, but it's not noticeable after a day.
As for the other negative reviews that I read, they're a bit dumb. The shipping speed is explained when you buy it, they have to build the computer before they send it. The fan is NOT loud, if you're not playing a graphic intensive game there's virtually no noise at all. When you are, the fan does make a bit of noise but seeing as this laptop is built for power it needs to get rid of the heat, but even then it's easily ignorable.
Ignore the shipping speed issues, it's a refurb they have to build the computer before they send it hence the "usually ships from 2-3 weeks". Also, who complains about the weight of the laptop when they have it listed under specifications? These complaints wouldn't exist if people could read.
Overall, this laptop is one badass puppy for the price (I mean cmon, $800 for a top quality gaming laptop?!?! Other $800 laptops are crap in comparison.). For what it is, I give it a 4.5. It's powerful, practical, and looks good. Well worth the price.I bought this lap top after a VERY long search online for the best computer for how much I was willing to spend. My budget was $850, and I was willing to buy either a laptop OR a desktop. I wanted something that was portable because I play games at my friends house's all the time. I also wanted something that can play the games I like to play
Games.
World of Warcraft
Star Craft (1-2)
warcraft 3
Call of duty 4
Portal
Half life 2 +(Episode 1-2)
Team Fortress 2
Left 4 Dead (1-2)
Civ 5 (2-4)
and a few others.
I have been able to play all these games on ALL HIGH SETTINGS. I get about 45-60 Fps while playing. Even during intense battles where I'm really using the GPU and CPU pretty harshly, It plays cool, and still maintains AT LEAST 45 fps.
Pros VERY good buy, it is the best laptop for this price. I have been looking for a LONG time for something that had a least a tri core CPU running at least 2.2ghz, and a dedicated graphics with at least 512mb dedicated to the GPU. After benchmarking the parts inside this laptop I found that the GPU(graphics processing unit) was in the top tier. There are 3 tiers, tier 1 is the best out there were tier 3 is low end crappy. The CPU, and GPU both scored well on the benchmarks in tier 1. Other people have said that they want more FPS(frames Per Second) out of this laptop. The only way for that to happen is for it to have 2 graphics cards. believe me, 60fps is good, and that's about the most you will get with almost ALL single graphics cards. the processor is very good as well. Its a duel core, running 2.27ghz, but can easily be overclocked to 2.54ghz from inside windows. Asus made a program that you can launch from within windows that makes it easy to overclock your CPU, just as easy as setting the battery to high performance. The other thing is that the CPU also has 4 threads, witch makes it run like a quad core, ex. That's like partitioning your hard drive into 4 partitions! its one hard drive but you have 4 storage areas now. It is a true LED wide screen display, so the rez might not be 1080p but it still looks GREAT. The key board is a chiclet style, all that means is that they buttons are a little smaller and have more space in between them. If you have ever used a mac book pro, its just like that. NOT HARD to get used to at all. within minutes I was typing at normal speeds with it. 4g's of DDR3(GOOD, but can be upgrade to 8g's, witch is GREAT). Hard drive isn't bad, 7200rpm means quick launching and WAY less time in loading screens, plus 500gb of storage isn't bad either. would like 1t but ehhh, now I'm just being picky. (cough) 500gb SSHD/Flash Storage would be nice (cough). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I already know that would jack up the price a grand or two though. . . . any way
CONS HEAT. . . This thing tends to get a little hot while playing these games with all HIGH setting. I invested $32. on a laptop cooling tray. BELIEVE me, it is worth the investment. It keeps the laptop from overheating and the one i got sits it at an angle witch makes it just that much easier to use. BUY a MICROFIBER CLOTH rag, this thing doesn't attract much dust but the oil from your hands and fingers dose stand out and creates smudges. Plus its always good to keep your com clean ;)
other then that this thing has had NO PROBLEMS, Ive had it for 1month and a week. so far so good. not to much bloat ware, wasn't damaged at all when it arrived and runs like a CHAMP. It replaced my desktop as my main computer and like I said is the BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. I looked at Newegg.com for the same laptop, and a few other places, It cost a little more els where, and the ones they had were NOT factory refurbished. Believe me that is a big enough deal, You don't want something sent back to the retailer who just wants it sold. the factory/company that sells it will take the time to make sure that it is fully functional and is LIKE new, they will even replace parts with BRAND NEW ones because they already have them.
In short. . best laptop at this price. really good CPU/GPU. Runs like a Champ. CAN replace your desktop. HEATS up, buy a cooling tray. you will not be disappointed with your purchase.I have owned my ASUS G60 for about 10 months, prior to that I owned the previous model (G51) for several months. Overall, my experience has been mostly positive and I would strongly recommend ASUS gaming notebooks for their great features and tremendous value.
What I use this computer for:
I have used this particular notebook for as a complete desktop replacement system, it is my one and only PC. I do some moderate gaming, namely Call of Duty Black Ops and Modern Warfare II. Additionally, I do a bit of light video editing and audio production (Adobe Premier Elements, Adobe Audition) along with day-to-day internet browsing and word processing. For my purposes, most folks would agree the specs are total overkill but when I feel like playing a new PC game I don't want to have to suffer. The system is a power hog, so don't expect record-breaking battery life (2-3 hours with some power using features disabled, 45 minutes on full blast.) Also, the monitor's max resolution is a little low (1366 x 768) given the size of the screen (16" widescreen.) Below I'll break down some of the pros and cons.
Some of my favorite things about this system:
The case is extremely sturdy and has a very substantial feel on the desk. The keyboard feels like a real desktop keyboard and doesn't cause the screen or case to shake or flop around on your desk when you type heavily. This is a huge plus for me, given that I use this as a desktop computer.
The keyboard is backlit with several brightness settings, adjustable using the function keys.
The screen is extremely bright and crisp on its highest lamp setting, but you can also adjust the screen brightness quickly using the function keys. This is a great feature for both battery life and avoiding eye strain.
The video card offers HDMI output to a television or monitor. It also has VGA for older analog monitors and automatically switches to dual monitor output when either port is used.
There is a large heat sink with side case exhaust (not on the underside of the case) which eliminates the need for a laptop cooling pad for most users.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTS 360M 1GB graphics card is in fact a discrete, PCI-Express graphics card (x16 bus speed) not an "integrated" or "on-board" graphics card. This, of course, is the prime selling point for any laptop marketed as a "gaming machine."
The Ethernet port is on the back of the machine (thank goodness!) as is the power cord input.
Some of my least favorite things about this system:
There are 4 USB 2.0 ports, two located on each side of the case proximal to the user. For right handed users, this means that your USB ports will get directly in the way of your mouse hand if you are using an external mouse (and of course you would be considering this is a gaming laptop) Bad case design, ASUS!
The audio jacks are located (of course) on the right side of the case, proximal to the user. So, if you plug in your headset/mic you'll be cluttering your mouse pad with unruly wires which conveniently get in the way of everything. Bad case design, ASUS!
The audio jacks are *very* poorly constructed. The headphone jack microswitch is extremely likely to become "stuck" rendering your built-in speakers useless (more on this below.)
Major issues/complaints:
I only have one major issue or complaint with this laptop (and all the other ASUS laptops for that matter, since this issue is not limited to just this model.) The headphone jack microswitch has a strong tendency to become "stuck." What I mean by this is that when you plug in headphones or external speakers to the headphone jack, two pins (the microswitch) are suppressed which tell the motherboard to direct sound into the device you've plugged in. When you remove the headphone/speakers, the two pins should "pop" back out to an unsuppressed position which tell the motherboard to direct sound to the laptop's built in speakers. In this ASUS model (and most other ASUS models) this microswitch is faulty and easily damaged. In other words, when you unplug your headphones/speakers the switch remains suppressed and the built-in speakers never get "told" to turn back on. The end result: you have to use headphones or external speakers to hear any sound. This is a common, widespread and known defect with the Realtek on-board sound card in these systems and cannot be easily fixed or replaced, since a full motherboard replacement would be needed. So, it's something you should just be prepared to live with. Overall, it's merely a nuisance and not a terribly debilitating defect.
Summary and Rating:
To wrap things up, this is a great mid-range gaming system at a great price. You get a high end graphics card, a great sturdy case with a bright screen and some great little features. There are some cons with the layout of ports and such, and of course, that unruly headphone jack. But overall, I think you'd be quite pleased with the performance vs. price of this system.The machine is great. Big screen, really good to either play videogames trough the HDMI Cable or watch movies. The configurations provide a excellent gameplay, all the games I tried worked perfectly and this is very important. The battery don't last too long, but I already was aware of this and I always carry the charger, so this is not a problem for me.
I only have a little problem, that is sometimes when I unplug the charger the computer freeze and I need to turn off and start everything again, and I lost school work because of this. But Overall is a great computer and for me, it worth the price.I'm a college student and this computer allows me to work fast and yet still enjoy games. Battery life is okay with me, but i plan on getting a 9 cell for it. The graphics card is great. I can edit movies and pictures at great speeds. my old laptop used to try and keep up with me, but now i can barely keep up with this baby. 4 gigs of ram allows me to run many programs at once and i haven't seen any lag or slowing. Great hard drive space and speed 7200 rmp. I was able to dual-boot windows 7 and ubuntu. WOrks excellent with ubuntu after you install the graphics driver which are available at Nvidia. Overall i am happy with this purchase. I got a great product for a Awesome Price. One of the most confusing things though was that it has a bluetooth led that lights up in ubuntu even though it physically doesn't have bluetooth built it.
NEW HP Pavilion dv5-2129wm Garden Dreams Laptop ~ AMD Turion II P540 2.4GHz / 4GB RAM / 500GB HD /
I bought this computer from wal-mart... it is the best, it is fast, and so many features, that i still have not played with.. it has the best webcam i have ever seen, as it is called TrueVision... i love the pattern.. I wish the keyboard lit up, some buttons do. It is so light. Perfect size. I thought with being white it would get dirty(the keys) but it doesn't... a little windex on a rag and it's clean.. I love all the things that are loaded on here. Netflix is great. also it has a built in browser, so if you don't want to use IE.. then you can set the HP browser up and it loads very fast. It comes with so many great wallpapers, and windows 7 is awesome... I use ROCKMELT browser and it works great.. This netbook is so fast love it,love it....you will enjoy it, as i doAs soon as I seen this laptop, I wanted it! I love the fun colors, who says a computer has to look boring? It has everything I wanted in a computer. The HP TrueVision WebCam is awesome to use. I am still playing with the different graphics that can be added to pictures. I am a member of Netflix and I like the fact that there is an easy way to get there with an Icon already built-in with the HP dock.Only had the computer for about a month now and I am still learning new things that this little bundle of joy can do. I enjoy taking it where ever I go and getting different reactions to the outter shell. Even my two younger sisters want to copy me.I have had this laptop Since June 2009 and it is still going strong. I have had a number of Dell/VIAO and other laptops that did not last more than 2yrs. So I am very very happy with this HP. I highly recommend it to anyone. Just make sure you have good antivirus software and keep up to date with the patches.I am a Mom/College student and have been using my Garden of Dreams computer for schoolwork, browsing, shopping, etc. I have no complaints and my HP has stood up to the family Dell computer that we also use in the household. I couldn't be happier with my pretty HP and everyone knows that the flowery computer is Mom's and it is hands-off! It's mine. :)After reading the negative comment for this computer I felt the need to leave a review that was true to my own experience. I have now had this computer for over a year and have had absolutely NO problems with it!! I have used it in high school and through my first year of college and it never fails me. Despite it's terribly cute cover, it is fast and convienient! I especially love the fun features with the camera! I have experienced none of the problems with the touchpad, memory,speed or anything else for that matter as stated in one of the negative reviews!! I have even accidentally dropped it on it's corner before on a concrete floor, and still no problems! Not that I suggest that of course;) Overall it has been a wonderful computer to me and I get lots of compliments on the unique cover!!
Velocity Micro NoteMagixU450 14-Inch Ultrabook
This machine has great specs at a very affordable price. Similar machines from bigger brands sell for hundreds more at Fry's, TigerDirect, and MicroCenter. The only issue is, the manufacturer of the wireless card (Ralink) offers shoddy support for its product in Linux-based systems, and the driver they offer causes a kernel panic I was never able to resolve. However, if you plan to use Windows out of the box, there's no reason not to buy this machine!So far so good. Been the best windows computer ive owned but we will see if it lasts me three years or more.....Alienware AM14X-6667BK 14-Inch Laptop (Stealth Black)
I've had this computer for a little over a month now, and it's doing everything that I need from it. I use it to create slideshows, work on training videos, music, and video games, and it does everything without ever slowing down. The areas that light up are cool for some people, I personally don't use them. The AlienFX allows for you to switch their color between fifteen or so colors, of if you're like me, it allows you to turn them off. It's got enough memory to allow one to have a music player, a movie maker, microsoft powerpoint, and Google Chrome with about twenty tabs open, and the computer never slows down. It's a rather large, and heavy computer, but well worth the pricetag.The only problem I've faced with it, is one pixel went dead in the top right corner of my screen. That's it, but it is from the fact that I've spent nearly four days flying and after I opened it up. It was there. I'm not worried, it doesn't bug me any when I'm doing any of my work.
In my opinion, if you do a lot of work on your personal laptop, this is something you definitely need to invest in. If you do a lot of work for the government on your personal laptop, once again, this is definitely something to buy.I just got my computer today,and installed Diablo 3 and it works like a charm.What a beautiful and fast computer this is.I recommend this computer to anyone that loves game.And I love the way the keys light up.Very cool computer.
Buy Alienware AM14X-6667BK 14-Inch Laptop (Stealth Black) Now
My brother, a Computer Scientist, hated it when he found out that I bought this laptop without checking with him. He's replaced the hard drive with a solid state hard drive. He also threw away the 6GB RAM that came with the laptop and replaced those with new 16GB RAM. It's just a little heavy, but it works beautifully now.Read Best Reviews of Alienware AM14X-6667BK 14-Inch Laptop (Stealth Black) Here
Seriously. It works. Quickly too. Windows 7 takes some getting used to, but it's intuitive for the most part. The laptop itself is solid, nifty color schemes. While it's a gaming laptop, I'm not much of a PC gamer and have limited use for the colors on the keys.Want Alienware AM14X-6667BK 14-Inch Laptop (Stealth Black) Discount?
ASUS K55VD-DB51 15.6 HD Notebook Intel Core i5-3210M 2.5GHz 8GB DDR3 750GB HDD DVD-Writer Nvidia GT
I was really hoping for a great computer. The Asus Notebook K55VD-DB51 15.6-Inch Laptop seemed to have everything I would want for a few years. I am Still, months later, still trying to keep from throwing this piece of junk across the room or across the street. Where to begin... 1. After hours and hours of adjusting basic "default" problems and installing my basic Email and social media pages I found that the 64 bit Windows has a problem with the RAM. I like to use RealPlayer to download a movie on one tab while watching another movie on another tab or window. Well, that's not happening. There is so much ASUS crap and other Pre-installed Stuff that the C drive was showing FULL even though it wasn't. Yet it reacted as if it were full. So the RAM wouldn't handle two movies at once. That was expected in a $150 computer but not an $800 computer with 8 Gigs sitting there. So after another few hours (now into days) of twisting the computer into a capable machine it STILL will not handle more than 2 tabs at one time unless I split between Windows and Firefox.And on and on. This Windows 7, 64 bit is about as sound of a computer as the Yugo was a car. 2. Even the card reader requires twizzers to pull the card out after downloading. 3. The keyboard is completely Open allowing the slightest dust under the keys. I haven't seen such Crappy construction since I had Windows ME. 4. The keyboard is flimsy needing a solid punch to make the key actually strike/count. 5. The plug for the Internet connection is weak and often Disconnects if the computer is moved. This is a problem I now find was a problem Asus has had for quite a while. 6. There is WAY too advertising about their Extra Features that, once you turn the damn thing on COSTS Extra after their 2 or 3 weeks of Trial. And if you Keep all those Special Extra Features figure spending another $175 Plus.
I don't mind having to Uninstall their pre-programmed Extras. It's having to search for all the loops all of those Extras have intertwined with other software that takes hours and hours to search for, and Re-Install drivers, update all the new downloads, etc., etc.
This computer was the worst purchase I have ever had from Amazon. And I know it had nothing whatsoever to do with Amazon and would never hold them responsible for this. "Buyer Beware" is the name of This Computer.
Toshiba Satellite L645-S4104 14.0-Inch Laptop - Grey
Still learning to use it but seems to be a robust and quite fast laptop. I have purchased now my third Toshiba and will remain with the brand for total satisfaction with all products so far.Im very happy with the stylish look, very fast and robust.Im only missing the firewire port, never would guess that it did not have the 4 pin al least!
Only downside could by that finger prints are very noticeable on the keyboard!
EXCELENT PRIME ONE DAY SHIPPING
Buy Toshiba Satellite L645-S4104 14.0-Inch Laptop - Grey Now
Haven't had the computer that long, but so far, no issues. I can't comment on the software factory installed, as I reformatted the computer as soon as I got it (just don't like factory installed computers). It runs pretty quickly, and has plenty of HD space. Any other computer with the specifications of this one would have been 200 dollars more.This is my second Toshiba, and I've been very happy with both so far.
Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite L645-S4104 14.0-Inch Laptop - Grey Here
This laptop pretty much covered my basic laptop needs. I don't do much on the computer besides check email and type a couple of documents, but so far I have not had any problems. The only minor negative i have found is that the keypad retains fingerprints. I read this on a review prior to my purchase so it was expected.Want Toshiba Satellite L645-S4104 14.0-Inch Laptop - Grey Discount?
I purchased my Satellite 15 months ago and have loved it until two weeks ago when the 2 USB ports on the right-hand side came loose and fell inside. I took the computer to a repair shop and was told this is a common issue with Toshiba laptops due to the weld Toshiba uses for the ports; they couldn't repair it but could send it in to Toshiba for repair -at a cost of $400! I contacted Toshiba and was told that since I was 5 months out of warranty, they could repair it, but it would cost me ... $400! If you go online and search for "Toshiba USB Port Loose", you will find a slew of people that have experienced the same issue with their Toshiba laptops, even current year models. Save your money and purchase a different brand of laptop.HP dv7-6c80us (17.3-Inch Screen) Laptop
On black Friday, I purchased a HP dv7 from staples. The specs are very similar (My laptop has less ram and memory, other than that they are exactly the same).I believe that this laptop is excellent. I have been using it for work daily for 6 months and am very happy with its maintenance of power and design. The 17..3 in. display is certainly not portable but excellent to view and thus capable of often watching movies on it. As far as aesthetics continue, the laptop features a brilliant chrome siding that truly captures the elegance of the laptop. I have taken the laptop on short journey's and found that its battery life is exactly as described. Even on high performance settings, the laptop can easily get 6 hours worth of battery life.
Beats audio fitted the laptop with top-of-the-line speakers that can compete with even bose or sony independent units. The computer is fast and has shown no major defects overtime. I run many programs on the computer and so far I have face no problems with anything. The graphics are excellent and the speed and battery life doesn't deteriorate quickly. It is a sturdy and good quality laptop.
Overall, I would recommend this laptop for all ages and all fields(except portability, but even there, it is sturdy and has a good battery life).This machine has all the right stuff, widi, usb3.0 I7 2nd gen and a second bay for a solid state hard drive if you want to add it. Sadly it is only $849 at the HP web site or I would've bought it at my favorite site, Amazon!
Buy HP dv7-6c80us (17.3-Inch Screen) Laptop Now
While I will spend some time on the disadvantages of this computer, I must say there aren't many and I love it and am glad I bought it.This review, and also this computer, is really for power users. Most of you don't need a computer like this... you can get away with a perfectly good computer much cheaper.
Bought this at Fry's in Jan 2012. It's a quad-core i7-2670QM running at 2.2GHz with 8GB of RAM. Not sure of the exact speed of the RAM but Crucial's memory scanner pegs it at either PC3-10600 or PC3-12800. I run some pretty memory intensive apps, and while this computer can be upgraded to 16GB, I haven't felt the need. At the time of this review (10/13/2012) upgrading the memory would be $80 +$20 depending on how well you shop. It does have the Intel 3000 graphics built in with a minimum allocation of 64MB of RAM and a max of 1696MB (64MB Dedicated + Shared)
My WEI with my SSD installed (not included with this purchase) is 6.3. I don't quite know what it is without, I assume it was 5.9.
Everything on this computer worked fine out of the box, however, I'm not a fan of bloatware and HP has plenty of it. So I reinstalled Windows 7 with a copy of Win 7 I had on DVD and using the key from the bottom of the machine, it worked. BTW, most of you know this, but most computers now do not come with restore CDs, but I think HP has one for $20. I'm not too worried about getting one from them. Go to their support website before you buy if this is something you need.
One hardware modification I made was I got rid of the 5400 RPM WD 750GB drive and replaced it with a paltry 60GB 2.5 SSD from OCZ that I used in a previous computer. This makes Windows 7 screaming fast, but doesn't allow for a lot of room to install things... and here's where my first complaint comes in.
You have two drive bays for HD/SSD but good luck finding a second caddy/cable for it. And when you find one, it's going to have to be a long cable (about the width of your keyboard) to reach the connector near the first HD/SSD.
Intel Wireless Display is AWESOME. I bought a Netgear Wi-Di box and hooked it up to my TV. I can even play a show from Hulu or Netflix and get no audio or video lag.
I don't play games on it, so I can't tell you how it would do with World of Warcraft or anything like that. I presume it's neither great or bad, but that's a guess.
It's shiny and easy to get dirty. I found the fingerprint scanner to be useless, but that's because I did a fresh install of Windows. HP's support site is good for finding drivers though, but not that particular one.
Battery life... I get 6-8 hours EASY on this thing and I'll bet I can get 10 if I ever let it "die" as opposed to plugging it in at 10%. Makes going to Starbuck's much easier. :)
Wi-Fi seems to be good/strong/powerful. Haven't really tried the Bluetooth, so I can't comment on that. I also don't have any USB 3.0 specific devices yet, but the ports are plentiful... they aren't well spaces...so if you have a "fatter" USB drive (like my older SanDisk) that you need to plug in, you might have a conflict.
Sound is surprisingly good. Display at 1600 x 900 is crisp and clear. Getting the back cover off is a pain, until you realize the only tool you need is a flathead screwdriver or butter knife. Be gentle, though.
Blu-Ray player, but no Blu-Ray software. Be prepared to shell out for that. I haven't really tried it yet.
What else to say... I love it.
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Very Good one. Buy it if you wany the peace for your mind. Do not woory about anyone who judge it badly. It has been 7months with noooooo problem. Everything is in this laptop.Want HP dv7-6c80us (17.3-Inch Screen) Laptop Discount?
Generally, this HP laptop works fine. When the product info speaks about the Dr. Dre sound system, one would expect quite a "poppin" sound.However, the volume is nowhere near what it should be. I have adjusted to the maximum everything that I can think of and, even using earphones, I am having difficulty in hearing the movies that I have played or the Youtube videos online.
I also wish I had purchased a laptop with a separate video card instead of the Intel HD Graphics 3000 integrated system.
ASUS Zenbook UX32A-DB31 13.3-Inch Ultrabook
This laptop may only have an i3 but it still is really fast. Its super light and really well built. The screen looks great.One important thing I did that made this laptop even more of a deal was to:
Format the SSD drive and install Windows on it. This allows the laptop to boot to Windows all on the SSD and really speeds everything up. It also clears up any asus bloatware and allows you to install only what you need. Also after installing Office and some other key programs to the SSD, and turning of the page file and hibernation I have 11gb free. Other than that I plan to install most programs on the traditional hdd.
The other thing I did was put a 8gb stick of ram in it ($44). This may or may not have been necessary but it can't hurt to have a total of 10gb of ram.
Overall this laptop is one of the best purchases I have made in a long time. Installing Windows on the SSD and still having the large traditional hdd really gives you the best of both worlds.I've had this for about a week now and unfortunately posted a glowing review before I had a good amount of time with this laptop. I suppose that is because it looks so fantastic that it really does give you a great first impression.
Here are some issues I have found:
1. FAN NOISE
Initially I said it was practically silent. The fan noise itself is not bad. However the fans on my laptop seem to turn on and off with too little time in-between cycles. It becomes quickly annoying to hear the fan power up, stay on for 10 (sometimes 5!) seconds and then power down for ten seconds then power up again etc. Having said that I am particularly sensitive to fan noise. Most other people would probably be happy with it just stay clear if you have sensitivity to fan noise like me.
2. SCREEN
There is a haze on the screen that is very irritating and hard on the eyes. It also distorts photos slightly in my opinion. I guess that is the price of a matt screen? In any case I hate it. The colors are also off out of the box. It was set far too blue and I ended up spending hours trying to tweak it just right. I've never had to do this before out of the box.
3. SD CARD
An inserted SD card sticks out more than 1/2 way!
4. HDD
THe HDD has only 200GB or so free out of the box so there is plenty of optimizing to do to make full use out of the 320gb space.
5. BLOATWARE
Lots of bloat from Asus
And here are the nice surprises:
1. BATTERY LIFE
I can get about 6 1/2-7 hours out of it just browsing the web (flash ads blocked).
2. BUILD and LOOKS
Fantastic piece of equipment and solidly built.
3. SSD
The SSD cache can be used like a regular drive as someone else mentioned. Installing windows onto this makes the system fly. Boot up time was faster than my wife's Toshiba Z835 for instance at around 20 seconds. You can have plenty of storage space on the HDD whilst having the benefits of a fast SSD. This also allows you to have two separate installations (perhaps windows 7 and windows 8!) and it is easy to switch drives to boot up by hitting the esc key when you first switch it on. Fantastic!
4. TOUCHPAD
Actually works very nicely once you tweak it how you want eg using firefox YetAnotherSMoothScrolling for firefox and also setting the mouse wheel turns to 4 helps internet explorer scrolling.
Overall the screen and the fan turning on and off in quick succession just kills this for me so I cannot recommend it.
Buy ASUS Zenbook UX32A-DB31 13.3-Inch Ultrabook Now
This is a wonderful Ultrabook. The machine feels sturdy and rigid with its great metal shell. There is *no* flex on the keyboard and the display glides easily. Asus payed attention to detail on this machine, from the well placed USB 3.0 ports to the nice rubber gasket around the screen (to seal the keyboard + screen when closed) This laptop has a great UEFI implementation without all the mess of the Windows 8 SecureBoot. (it ships with Windows 7)The only cons I really have for this laptop are:
* Erratic Synaptics trackpad. The thing has the tendency to go crazy if you rest one two many fingers near it.
* Lots of software keys. You have to have Windows running + the proper drivers loaded or the screen brightness + keyboard brightness keys don't function.
* Linux support is hit-or-miss given how new the chipsets are.
* Lots of shovelware pre-installed. I recommend tossing the restore image and loading your own OS ASAP.
One selling point of this ultrabook for me was the ease of hardware upgrades. Asus did a wonderful job using a simple set of metal (plus metal threaded) torx screws to hold the thing together. 2GB RAM on board, one ram slot available (filled with a 2GB DDR3 stick of RAM). 10GB Maximum ram after upgrade :)
Read Best Reviews of ASUS Zenbook UX32A-DB31 13.3-Inch Ultrabook Here
The comparison chart for this laptop says it comes with a Core i3-3217U 1.4 GHz CPU, and the description says that it comes with a 3rd gen Intel® Core i3-2367 processor (repeatedly). Neither of these is true. The laptop comes with an i3-2367, but this is a 2nd generation processor, not a 3rd. This makes a big difference as the newer generation runs faster, cooler, and has better video capability (Intel HD 4000 as opposed to HD 3000). In addition, the listing says it comes with a 320 gig 7200 RPM hard drive, whereas the laptop has a 5400 RPM hybrid hard drive.With a 3rd gen CPU and a fast hard drive, I believe this laptop would be worth the price. However, the listing is very misleading. Another reviewer has brought this up already and nothing was changed, and the question was brought up months ago by someone else in the questions section. I was hoping that they had refreshed the specs and bought it anyway, but it's still the same old chipset. Very misleading.
The product itself is performing as expected so far; it is exactly the form factor we wanted, and we will need to decide if sticking with old technology or returning for a refund based on an inaccurate listing would be better. I will say that the system needed to reboot about six times to install updates and until it finished, there were all kinds of errors during boot about drivers not installed, etc. Not a problem for us but could be for someone who is expecting it to just work.
Want ASUS Zenbook UX32A-DB31 13.3-Inch Ultrabook Discount?
I am very happy with the purchase of this machine.It is thin and light, its performance is fast, The keyboard is soft to the touch and backlit the design is elegant. No heating whatsoever after working hours. .
Dell Studio 1537 Black
I purchased this laptop in 2008. I used it mostly for work, and didn't need the sound features much, until this year when I needed to use a variety of sound-based applications for work (SKYPE was one). The sound output is inconsistent at best it works sometimes, then quits. Of course, it's beyond warranty, so I can't do a thing. There are posts all over the web about the sound problems with the 1537. If this were a car, there would be a RECALL and a FIX. If Dell wants to keep its customer base, these issues should be addressed. No one cares about unhappy customers anymore! I don't plan to buy another Dell.unlike the other reviews before me i never had any serious issues with this laptop but i do agree that the sound from laptops are pretty useless. i really like the backlit key option and screen is quite nice. My main purpose was graphic design and it worked exactly the way i needed it to but if i was listening to music the headphones weren't too far. performance, design and quality are actually pretty good but it is a pretty heavy laptop. the only time i had any issue is when i switch the video via hdmi to a tv back to the laptop the sound doesnt play so i have to set the laptop speakers as default instead of the hdmi but it's more of an annoyance since it's not broken. for some reason it doesnt recognize that it's switching from hdmi to pc. overall it's a pretty good buy because it's pretty cheap and there is plenty of software. i stopped using it because i am doing more video editing so i picked up a macbook pro. the laptop can handle basic video editing through windows media maker but for what i needed i had to switch to apple. :) i still keep the dell around just as a backup.Buy Dell Studio 1537 Black Now
I had continual problems with this laptop. Upon arrival the keypad was flimsy and warped, I sent it back and had it replaced with a less warped keypad. The touch buttons never worked right, ever. There is an annoying blue light around the charger plug that ispart of the design. After 8 months the battery stopped working, Dell replaced it in a timely manner. For the price it is fine, but after 18 months it just died out of no where, of course after the warranty was over. My hubby is an electrical engineer said the bios was fried. Out of warranty Dell was useless, I spent an hour on the phone get transferred from here to there and finally just gave up. My replacement laptop is a lenovo sl 510 thinkpad. It doesn't have the visual oompf of the dell but at least the keyboard doesnt feel cheap and nothing is warped on it.Please do yourself a favor and don't buy this laptop. I had a Dell for 4.5 years before this one and that one worked better!! I "upgraded" last year to this 1537 and it has been nothing but a headache ever since. Don't buy it. I only wish I could rate it less than one star.Acer Aspire AS4830TG-6457
crystal clear display amazing prossesing power great graphics and amazing battery life what more can a college student want in a laptopI really love it.I An aggressively priced thin-and-light with excellent battery life and strong all-around performance, The price is very good .It's an all-star laptop perfect for any buyer seeking maximum value.Lenovo IdeaPad Z570 1024-ASU LAPTOP (15.6" LED, Intel Core i5 2450M,8GB Ram, 750GB Hard Drive, DVD/
This laptop is perfect and does everything I need it to do for Master's program. Plus, I can watch blurays or Netflix. I highly recommend this product!I really like the solid keyboard. The DVD drive case interface broke and I had a hard time getting it back on. The battery life is very good. I would buy this computer again.Apple iBook Laptop, G4 iBook 1.33GHz Processor, 1GB, 40GB, 12.1" 1024x768 Display, Combo Drive ,WiF
Bought this as an older used but "like new" unit. Looks new works new. Got it for my son and he uses it for all his social network and music downloading needs. No problems at all. I recommend itI am a IT Networking student that is almost finished with my degree. I got a temp job working for the school district and it may turn permanent. I am very good with windows and linux and I am a hardware geek. When I interviewed for the position they asked what experience I had with macs. Almost the entire school system was on macs because they got tired of viruses. I said none, I have only ever met a couple of people that used them and non that needed repairs. I told them I could learn quickly and pickup as I go and they hired me. Not wanting to fumble around on their time I picked up this laptop to get used to how it works and learn about it. I have learned a good bit about macs with it and find im getting my work done quickly because of the practice.I must warn you if you have ideas about upgrading the hard drive it is difficult. You just about have to completely disassemble the laptop to get it. Like pealing a onion. The memory on my laptop is 1 gig. I have installed several programs including virtualpc for mac and installed several os, like dos, win2000, xp, and win2003. Well win2003 was a little lagy the rest worked very well and share folder setup very quick.
I would sugest getting the os version that just has ppc architecture. If you have the os that has both you are loosing about 10gig. This laptop comes with 40gig so that is 25% of your space.
The battery is very good. I usually get about 4 hrs on it. You would consider this is good by pc standards but consider that when this was new the time was about 6 hrs. There are things you can get like duel battery chargers that charge and maintain two batters so you always have power. Batteries range from $25-60.
At my school I and others have had a problem with staying connected to the net or even being able to connect.With the mac i have not had one problem with connections. It works very well.
All told the laptop runs very quickly for the amount of memory I have. I am able to carry it around when working on my tasks easily. I also carry it in my backpack to classes. It is very small and although there are some lighter laptops it is a managable weight.this was a great purchase. The battery life in good, the ease of use is good, operates faster then I expected faster than I use to with a pcApple iBook Laptop, G4 iBook 1.33GHz Processor, 1GB, 40GB, 12.1" 1024x768 Display, Combo Drive ,WiFi, 56K Modem ,10/100 Ethernet , Bluetooth, OS X 10.5 installed, Refurbished ( yes ok, well that is what it said. It is a VERY OLD model and not at all what is photographed, (circa 1985) it turned on but the casing was very shaky and loose, there was a mildew or some gross stain between the apple feature on the outside and the monitor wiggles a bit; not to mention the cracks in the item itself. Not all together sure if it was the way it was packaged but no matter. it arrived in a very bent US mail box. The power cord connecter was bent and had to be straightened out with plies. I purchased the mid ranged one, thinking it would be in better condition, but maybe if you pay more you get more from this dealer, I don't know. A suggestion would be for the dealer to use the actual product photograph and not the current model, it rings of false advertising. This may only be me and my run of luck but the term, Buyer beware applies here.The laptop arrived in better shape than I had anticipated, as it was purchased as "used." Kind of scary to buy a used computer via the internet, but this worked out great.

