X53U-XR2,BLACK,15.6 HD (1366 768),AMD E350,4G DDR3,HD 4250,320G 5400,SUPER Multi

Being a current and very happy owner of an ASUS Netbook ASUS Eee PC 1001PXD-MU17-WT 10.1-Inch Netbook (White) I thought this would make a nice gift for my brother who just moved 300 miles from me so we could keep in touch by Skype. Before I let him have it, I spent a few days using it and getting it set up and making sure everything worked. I like this so much it's now on my wish list for ME.

My first dilemma is whether to call this a notebook or a netbook because of the processor being more similar to what is found in a netbook. It's like a netbook processor-wise, but larger like a notebook.

Build-quality seems to be very good to excellent my only complaint is the CD/DVD drawer seems flimsy when opening/closing, but I am very careful with it. Even while closed, this note/netbook looks good with the dark espresso brown exterior and a lot of it seems to be made of aluminum. It's lightweight (under 6 lbs. with the battery installed), and has a power-saving feature so the 6 cell battery gets pretty close to 5 hours of battery life like the specifications state. The touch-pad is very responsive, although I prefer using a mouse. There are 3 USB 2.0 ports.

Even though the 1.6 GHz speed is on the slow side (after all this is a fairly inexpensive PC) having 4 GB of RAM is more than enough for internet, Word and Excel functions, email, and it has better graphics than my smaller netbook has. In addition, this has an internal DVD drive, unlike my Asus Netbook. For just a little more money over what you'd spend on the 10" model, you get it all with this.

Asus puts a lot of bloatware on this, which is easily uninstalled. Set-up was very easy and this comes with Windows 7 Home Premium, in addition to Microsoft Word and Excel which are NOT trial versions they are full-featured but you do have to put up with some small ads to use Word and Excel. It also comes with 6 months of TrendMicro anti-virus, which I uninstalled and went with Avast Free instead.

Asus has included Altec Lansing stereo speakers but like all other notebook speakers, these are average and could use more power, but sound much better than my smaller netbook's speakers.

Comes with chiclet keyboard, wireless 802.11 b/g/n, 4-in-1 card reader, 3 USB ports, 1 VGA port, 1 DVI port, microphone jack, headphone jack, RJ45 LAN jack and even a HDMI port so this can be attached to your HDTV.

The keyboard also has the 10-key numeric keypad to the right, like full size keyboards have.

CON: My only complaint is the web cam, being 0.3 MP, it has bad video quality. It's good enough to see the person when you're Skypeing, but I sure wouldn't make a YouTube video using it. But since I/we were looking for a budget full-size computer and even though the 0.3 MP web cam doesn't quite cut it for me, it's good enough since I already know what my brother looks like. It is what it is, and if you're looking for a high def web cam, either don't choose this computer or add an external cam.

Worth more than it costs, faster than I expected, is very friendly and so the need is perfect! good cost product

Buy X53U-XR2,BLACK,15.6 HD (1366 768),AMD E350,4G DDR3,HD 4250,320G 5400,SUPER Multi Now

This unit was purchased as a gift and he loves it.Thinking about one for myself. Shipping did send the wrong color but offered a credit which was acceptable. Answered all emails even during the super Christmas rush season.

A very good computer for the price point.

Read Best Reviews of X53U-XR2,BLACK,15.6 HD (1366 768),AMD E350,4G DDR3,HD 4250,320G 5400,SUPER Multi Here

I hesitated buying this because I had a problem finding reviews. But I bought it any way because the price was good. I'm really glad I did. I use this as a 2nd computer for when I go to the lake on weekends so I only use it for word processing, photo editing, watch DVDs, etc. This notebook is perfect for my needs. Love the keyboard and the screen. Downloading movies is easy and look great. Very nice viewing area for a notebook. I will upgrade to 8 GB of memory for the photo editing, but other than that I love it. I do agree with the 1st review about the DVD drive. Touch pad is real sensitive buttons are a bit loud when clicked, but I prefer a mouse, so not an issue for me. It's really a beautiful notebook. Love the mocha color.

Want X53U-XR2,BLACK,15.6 HD (1366 768),AMD E350,4G DDR3,HD 4250,320G 5400,SUPER Multi Discount?

It is so slow with so many problems. The screen is often becoming furry and stretched if I use it to do scanning. It takes about 10 times longer to boot up to compare with my old ones. I could not type to search after using it to shop online. The list can go on for more that I have wanted to drop on a hard floor to destroy it for so many times.

Read More >>

Asus TAICHI 21 Black Notebook Computer

As always Asus does it again. This is so amazing. I would recommend this company to buy it from and as the product is always the best and the warranty can not be matched or beat. It doubles, its a laptop, no wait, its a tablet, no wait, its both. It is a must for business oriented or trainers or for just using it daily use. It covers everyone. Did I mention. I love Asus. It is very fast. Easily connect via Wi-Fi or with the included Ethernet connector. Running windows 8. Two partitions which are extremely hard to even fill up one. Included also is the mini hdmi to hdmi. The included touch pen doubles as a two button mouse. Two year warranty is excellent. The first year anything accidental is covered(liquid, shock, fire or drops). The second year is the normal parts and labor being covered. There is so many things that are truly amazing with this product that I would run out of room if I continue I will run out of space. All I can say is buy it. You will not regret it.

Read More >>

MSI A6000-225US Notebook PC - Intel Pentium Dual-Core T4500 2.30GHz, 3GB, 320GB HDD, DVD Super-Mult

I bought this because it is a slightly lighter (under 5lb) 16-inch machine at a good deal. Here are my peeves in order of frustration level.

1. Wireless reception is VERY weak. I read about this on MSI Wind on other forums too. It cannot catch 802.11 n over a 2 story 2500 sq ft house. Only in the room with wireless router and the next room. All my other devices have no problems AT ALL. I can catch signals upstairs, downstairs, in bathrooms with other devices (laptops and iphones/ipods)...

2. Touch pad is slightly different for scrolling etc. from the Synaptics style so that's a little relearning curve.

3. Windows Update gave some failures. Could be a Windows 7 issue but I have not seen these on other Win-7 machine. And I haven't even installed too much SW or apps yet.

So if you want long-distance wireless or Synaptics style touch pad, this is not for you.

Read More >>

Acer Gateway NV57H77u 15.6" Laptop PC 320GB HD,4GB, Webcam, WiFi, Windows 7, Numeric Keypad - Black

I wanted an inexpensive laptop that would allow me access "historic" files that a Mac can't open. It does it very well.

This unit was easy to set up. Very easily connected to my home wireless network. It even detected the printer/scanner, searched for the appropriate drivers and voila, done.

Video web camera does a decent job. It can't compete with the video retina system of a Mac, but, I wasn't expecting it either.

I am not a gamer so I can't comment on that. There is a way for you to directly go to "Gateway Games" but I don't care and I most likely will delete it soon.

It came already preloaded with Skype, Netflix and others.

The keyboard takes a little to get used to. Even though it is a full size keyboard, the keys are placed too close together, perhaps to make room for the separate numbers keyboard. The keys are completely flat, so it is easy for your fingers to slip. A minor inconvenience.

The laptop has a compact card reader in the front. Useful. A little hard to open and close.

DVD: I only used it to read so far works fine. USB ports: 3.

The plug for the power cord is on the left, I like that.

The laptop is very quiet and does not emit too much heat. The case is plastic, and perhpas it is not too sturdy. Hard to know for me at this point if it will endure constant "traveling" . It is main;y going to be a stationary back up unit for me.

Overall, I like it and I would recommend it to others for Word and Excel type of work. For a little over $300 it is a great buy.

Less than what I paid for a Netbook and an external DVD player/writer which -netbookoverheated and had problems connecting to the internet after less than a year of use.

This lap wont run Crysis won't play the next version of Call of Duty that's no secret. If you thought so then your a moron, if your looking for a high end gaming rig go somewhere else. This laptop is perfect for everyday computing. That means surfing the web, word processing, projects, reading, office work, media playing, movie watching and video streaming. This even handles the online cloud gaming service "OnLive" very well. Windows 7 is a dream come true and I can honestly say is a treat to work on and I enjoy it very much. I have suffered no hiccups or slow down only shear excitement when I turn the thing on every time. I say that because I worked on a netbook for the last 4 years plus this is just such a huge upgrade from that. No I don't work for gateway I work for Comcast and I picked this up at my local target on clearance only because they are not selling this model anymore. It was sold to me with factory seal intact. Sorry if any of my spelling is wrong I'm at work right now. If you see this laptop in any store pick it up and stay away from netbooks or over priced tablets. Enjoy!

Buy Acer Gateway NV57H77u 15.6" Laptop PC 320GB HD,4GB, Webcam, WiFi, Windows 7, Numeric Keypad - Black Now

A laptop that works for what a laptop should do. Looks like they're out of stock though so you might have to consider another model.

Read Best Reviews of Acer Gateway NV57H77u 15.6" Laptop PC 320GB HD,4GB, Webcam, WiFi, Windows 7, Numeric Keypad - Black Here

This small beauty performs like a giant. Its presentation is perfect and looks very nice, the only thing regrettable is the hard drive capacity, but for the price paid is totally fair. I recommend it without a doubt.

Want Acer Gateway NV57H77u 15.6" Laptop PC 320GB HD,4GB, Webcam, WiFi, Windows 7, Numeric Keypad - Black Discount?

i am a senior citizen and windows 8 was not easy for me to use and i felt unprotected with it new format, but this laptop with windows7 is perfect for me. i really enjoy using it

Read More >>

HP 15.6" Pavilion Laptop 8GB 750GB | DV6-7029WM

HP 15.6" Pavilion Laptop 8GB 750GB | DV6-7029WM

THE LAPTOP IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION

IT WORKS GREAT... WITH WIN 7... I LOVE IT

I TRY WIN 8 BUT MOST OF MY SOFTWARE WILL

NOT RUN ON WIN 8

MY WIFE AND I BOTH OWN PH-DV6 LAPTOPS

WILL GIVE UPDATES IN 3 MONTHS

Read More >>

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 13.3-Inch Convertible Touchscreen Ultrabook (Gray)

Just opened the box this evening. This is my first Windows 8 PC. This is an awesome pc. It is a perfect fit for someone who loves the uses of a tablet but hates typing on touch screen. It is built very sturdy. It feels just like a laptop until you flip it into a tablet, it is a rather large feeling tablet but props up nice and is very user friendly.

I would recommend this product.

This is one of the coolest tablets/laptops I have seen. I am more than pleased and would recomend it to anyone looking for a very lite laptop or large tablet. At 3 lbs. it is heavier than an ipad or similar tablet, but if the weight isn't an issue then you will love it. Windows 8 and the touch screen are super. Take a look at this tablet if you are thinking about a new laptop or ipad. I did and am very pleased with my decission. By the way the delivery and service from Amazon was super.

Buy Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 13.3-Inch Convertible Touchscreen Ultrabook (Gray) Now

This is a nice idea pad Yoga is nice, but windows 8 needs some help on the touch screen side. The pad works great and would still buy it again just windows 8 needs some help.

Read Best Reviews of Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 13.3-Inch Convertible Touchscreen Ultrabook (Gray) Here

I just purchased the Lenovo Yoga 13.3 inch and love it. The screen is terrific with Music Reader for Windows. Yes, there is a little space at the bottom of each sheet music page which I find useful for add'l notes. Once you crop your sheet music, it fits even better. Much better than an IPad. The whole thing fits perfectly in my briefcase and is easy to hold for lap viewing. Very quiet unit. A side benefit is that I no longer need a light on my music stand.

I also love the way the keyboard hinges and folds behind the screen. Much better than the detachable keyboards which are a hassle. I recommend that you also purchase the Lenovo slip keyboard cover which can hold only the keyboard or the entire folded up tablet. The folded up tablet fits perfect on my music rack for both my piano and harp. All the other tablets had detachable or wireless keyboards which felt cumbersome to me. Purchase the screen protector directly from Lenovo for $9.99 which includes shipping. Amazon charges $29 for the same product. It has totally changed the way I play and my practice time is put to much better use.

The only negative is that it's much more expensive than similar tablets with slightly smaller screens. But I wanted a bigger screen and one that would be light weight and very portable.

I've only had it for a week but so far no problems.

Want Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 13.3-Inch Convertible Touchscreen Ultrabook (Gray) Discount?

I originally purchased Yoga pad worked great for the first 20+ days. Then less than 1 moth old the left hinge failed, preventing the Yoga from being opened.. you could visually see the damage to the dual hinge unit. The hinge appears to be very "plastic-y" in design and I did nothing special to cause it to fail..

I returned the unit for my second Yoga ( since it was not a month old) only to have the second unit have a bad HDD.. The second Yoga's drive sounded like high pitch "buzzing bees." The unit still booted and ran fine, but i returned it for a full refund due to the fact that the HDD was about to fail...

i like the overall design, weight and performance of the unit, but with the 2 major issues I had with 2 units in under 1 month has me waiting for Lenovo to fix all the bugs!!1

P.S. ended up with the Lenovo "twist" S-230U convertible... yes, it is "fatter" and heavier than the Yoga, but after 3 months not a failure yet!! :)

Save 16% Off

Read More >>

Acer Aspire 5336-2524 - C 900 2.2 GHz - 15.6" TFT Laptop

The model number for this is 5336-2524. This computer has great performance. It is extremely light. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium instead of Windows 7 starter so I didnt have to pay for an upgrade. I love that it has a webcam and mic. My only issue is that the audio is a bit soft but I can live with that. This is a great value for the price.

update:

The plug where the a/c adapter plugs into the laptop is loose. It falls out on it's own several times a day. I have to roll it around at different angles and use weights to hold it against the connector so it stays in contact. It's gradually getting worse & worse. If I go take a bath & I'm in the middle of something, when I come back the laptop will be powered down because the plug popped out in the middle of the bath. Now there's a short in the connection too so, often the whole a/c adaptor getts shorted out & turns itself off. I have to fiddle around for sometimes 5 minutes to find just the right twist & angle & OOps, the adaptor got shorted, now I have to unplug it from the wall & plug it back in & keep trying to find a spot where it will stay plugged in & powered on & then I have to put a weight on the plug to hold it in just the right angle... & then I have to keep the laptop from sliding in the other direction and on top of that:

The headphone jack is bad too. I have to hang a weight on my headphone cable so that it put's pulling pressure on the jack just to be able to hear anything, which might not be so bad if the speakers didn't entirely break down. I cannot hear a single thing through the speakers. Nothing at all. The speakers were always too quiet, but now, they just gave up & quit working.

Another thing, NO RADIOSHACK sells the plug that fits this laptop. I've tried. I bought a plug that came close, but it doesn't fit right. The radio shacks even refuse to order the correct size. So, is this normal for this laptop? Who cares. I'm never getting an acer again & I'll never buy a laptop with a cheap, skinny a/c adaptor connection port either.

The built in microphone is worthless too. It filters the sound badly.

I have to put black tape over the camera so that my keys type the correct words on the keyboard. Typical TI BS.

Bad speakers, shakey touchpad, cheap keys, no support for linux, great screen, lots of ram.

The speakers are terrible. They are so small and cheap that mine just blew out while playing a sound near 120 hz.

Instead of getting better speakers, they killed the volume, so you wouldn't damage the cheap speakers it came with.

Now the sound system is supposed to be able to play 24-bit sound, BUT somewhere along the line, it gets heavily corrupted. It doesn't play true 24-bit sound. It may be the link between the soundchip & the speakers. I don't know, but I am certain that the sound-quality is far less than what the sound-chip is capable of, due to cheap & crummy hardware, not just the speakers. If you plug headphones in, you still get distorted hi-def sound at 24-bit.

Finally, it's very difficult to listen to anything with the speakers, even before they were blown. If I put the system on max volume & the youtube video, or whatever on max volume, you'd be lucky to make out the words. It's that bad.

Tip to others w/ this laptop: download soundfiles as an MP3 and play it in winamp or something and adjust the graphic equalizer so all the freqs are all maxed & if that doesn't work, you can open the sound-file in audacity & amplify the soundfile 10 decibles (you'll have to clip some) & you might be able to make out the words. Or upload it to an mp3 player.

I've had 3 keys come off. I can't put them back on. My laptops take a beating.

Every now & then the touchpad goes nuts. I'll push the mouse-cursor up and it will go down. I'll push it across the screen & it just stays in 1 place & shakes a little. Sometimes it just stalls altogether, sometimes permenantly until a reboot, & sometimes for a few seconds while the (processor?) catches up. I don't know why, the processor should be fast enough.

I'm hoping I can get the sound & network... working w/ another OS. The drivers only support Windows 7. That's sad. I want to see drivers for linux & XP. Speaking of which, the OS key ID sticker under the laptop has rubbed off. I cannot read the Windows 7 key! So do I have to buy a whole new OS if the hard-drive goes? Not good.

What I like about it is that it has lots of ram, a big hard-disk & a huge screen for a cheap price, at least it did when I bought it. It's one of the better laptops I've had, except for the above issues & those are BIG issues. I'm not impressed w/ Acer at all.

Buy Acer Aspire 5336-2524 - C 900 2.2 GHz - 15.6" TFT Laptop Now

THE TECHNICAL DETAILS FOR THIS LAPTOP SHOWED WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL WAS AVAILABLE FOR UNIT. I HAD A FRIEND INSTALL THE ABOVE SOFTWARE BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE WIRELES CARD AND VGA DISPLAY DRIVERS ON THE INTERNET. I CALLED THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR ACER(USA) AT 1-877-482-3091 AND TECHNICIAN DID NOT WANT TO MAKE AVAILABLE THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE IYOGI.NET/ACER*SUPPORT THE ABOVE DRIVERS. THEY INSISTED ON SELLING ME A LOCAL SERVICE CONTRACT FOR $139.00 TO INSTALL THE ABOVE DRIVERS IN MY LAPTOP. I DECLINED THE OFFER AND HAD GEEKS SERVICE INSTALL THE DRIVERS FOR $26.25

Read Best Reviews of Acer Aspire 5336-2524 - C 900 2.2 GHz - 15.6" TFT Laptop Here

I have had this laptop for about a year now and use it every day for school. My only complaint is that the mouse pad is off center. It's great that they put the number keypad on the side I use that often. However with the mouse pad off center, I always feel like I have to also sit off-centered from the monitor. When I try to sit more centered, my hand hits the mouse pad and, many times, it has clicked the cursor somewhere else on the screen and suddenly I'm typing in the wrong place. Other than that, it has been a good computer for the cost.

Want Acer Aspire 5336-2524 - C 900 2.2 GHz - 15.6" TFT Laptop Discount?

nice looking notebook. it looks like new now damage on it. it is working just perfect and good price too.

Read More >>

HP Pavilion dv6-3210us 15.6-Inch Entertainment Notebook PC - Silver

Overall a great laptop for the price. It's fast with good wireless, and a crisp, bright screen. Having USB near the power cord leaves one less thing sticking out when using a thumb drive.

As with any low-cost option, there are a few quirks, mostly with the input devices. The Synaptics Clickpad is genuinely annoying, but easy to get used to. No tap zones, so I remapped the left button to a middle-click to get that functionality. The Touchpad Disable Zone keeps the cursor from moving every time you try to click. The keyboard is missing number pad access, even with the Fn key, so no Alt-codes are available.

I have seen this laptop at Staples for some time and waited for it to go down in price. I picked one up for $469 and say it is an excellent buy. It is true that the touchpad is annoying but it is easy to get used to or worst case, get a mouse. For under $600, you can get an AMD phenom dual core CPU (3.0 GhZ, 2mb L2 cache) along with a decent integrated graphics card (ATI Radeon 4250). Has 4GB DDR3 RAM and a 500GB hdd. The webcam is decent for a built-in unit and the DVD burner is standard.

Look, I work on PCs and I ran benchmark tests on this PC and it outperforms mobile Intel i3 and even certain i5 processors with a better graphics card.

tested it out, and found out that almost every major game can be played on this PC. This can play anything from Civ V to Mass Effect 2 & KOTOR. For integrated graphics, it is above average.

Overall, this is a great laptop with many features. Good for making/editing videos, multi-tasking, listening to music, editing photos, watching HD video, and playing mainstream games.

*UPDATE*

I just upgraded it to 8GB of RAM. Does it need it? No. I did it because I could and it made things much better. I quickly became used to the touchpad and it runs fine. The only negative I see is that the plastic housing is a little loose on the front right corner. I'll keep an eye on it but other than that it's great.

Buy HP Pavilion dv6-3210us 15.6-Inch Entertainment Notebook PC - Silver Now

bought this a couple of days ago and it's an excellent for it's price range. it's fast and quiet and nice and bright screen. yes, the touchpad is touchy but we're planning on getting a wireless mouse for it anyways since we've never liked touchpads in general. plus right now hp is offering 50 dollars mail-in rebate until june 2011 which makes this even sweeter.

Read Best Reviews of HP Pavilion dv6-3210us 15.6-Inch Entertainment Notebook PC - Silver Here

I have owned this laptop for several weeks now. I purchased a wireless mouse to use with it and it works great! (I never liked using the built-in pad) This laptop replaces an older Toshiba that was a great laptop. This one is faster, lighter, and thinner. The sound is very good for a laptop. My only complaint is that the screen has no contrast adjustment and when I got it the picture quality was poor.(surprising to me since this is billed as an "entertainment" laptop) And yes, I checked the resolution, etc. Everything looked kind of washed out, and not at all clear. I was ready to return it. But now, after going through the whole color adjustment process (see owners manual) the picture is a lot better but still not great (my old toshiba had a better picture from day 1). But I am keeping it for its' good qualities! It's a good laptop for ~ $500, and will hopefully last a while!

Want HP Pavilion dv6-3210us 15.6-Inch Entertainment Notebook PC - Silver Discount?

I purchased mine about 2 weeks ago. Haven't had a problem. Upgraded from a Netbook for school work. Very good price. Good graphics, very fast.

Read More >>

Lenovo B575-1450ALU Laptop Computer / AMD Dual-Core E-450 1.65 GHz Processor / 4GB DDR3 Memory / 15

I am loving my new laptop. It was packaged great, looks great, was purchased at a great price, and has all of the features I like. Thanks for another great purchase from Amazon!

Read More >>

HP Pavilion dv7-4165dx AMD Phenom II Triple-Core N850(2.2GHz) 17.3" 4GB Memory 640GB Blu Ray Combo

I got this from another vendor as 'refurbished' for a similar price to amazon's.

Screen: huge, glossy, lovely. 1600x900 17.3"

Keyboard: interestingly different than most. I don't know the name of what this tech is called. The keys are not butted up against each other but separated, flatter, straight/individual. I like it a lot and I bet it's great for people with big fingers (or poor typing) who might normally hit more than one key. I'm not fond of the arrow key approach (it shrinks up/down to fit together between left/right) but I'll adapt. Has number pad. Bummer though, the numlock key has no light on it nor on the dash so you have no idea if it's on or not. However, the wireless and the 'mute' alt-function buttons have tiny lights as does the left caps lock. Black keys, typical of nearly all laptops nowdays, which since I use my laptop at night in the dark--and use a diff keyboard during my job hours so my brain-patterns are always 'adapting'--drives me crazy. There are little glow in the dark stickers you can get for keyboards to help with this.

Dash controls: nothing but power button and touch pad, however, media controls are built into function keys with ALT usage.

Touch pad: upside: large, smooth, defined edge. downside: pain in the butt to try and click. Not reasonable for constant use. The alternate 'tap' function so far is incredibly inconsistent. I may need more time/practice. A whole lot of it apparently. That is quite bothersome. Previous reviews I read elsewhere griped about this also. I don't think it's enough to weigh against the merits of the machine which are many--I'd still buy it--but if you don't mind mice (USB) because you mostly use it on a flat surface, you might want to get one. Definitely be sure you go into control panel and mess with your settings. It does have the various options for scroll, zoom in, zoom out, and 3-finger launch which is neat.

Ports: all the standards, USB on both sides, multi-option media card reader. Power cord on right side, sticks out the normal amount for laptops (alas). Standard wireless for this day and age. 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN

Guts: has a pretty decent processor, 4G RAM (the main reason I got this). If you do advanced gaming or 3D animation you'd want something with a lot more speed and RAM, but I do basic graphics and database work and it's fine for all that. Hard drive is large (640G). Go get 'minitool partition wizard' from cnet (free) and you can split it into a few drive letters for more practical storage/scanning/searching/defragging. (Note: if MPW it won't let you create a partition due to 'no MBR keys', change the non-C 'primary' drives this HP has in place to 'logical' (right-click to do that), then it will.)

Peripherals: has mic, internal speakers, webcam. These don't seem special to me but I'm no expert on that. The optical drive is CD/DVD, Blue-Ray and Light-Scribe which is about as much as you can ask.

The case is actually lovely, metallic silver with fine lines of engraving. The back of the lid has the round HP logo that is lit up. I guess so either you can tell it's on when it's closed or just because it looks neat.

Power: typical AC plus a battery said to be much longer life than normal -and this despite the huge bright screen. I have not yet had cause to test this to verify it though. 9-Cell 93WHr Lithium-Ion Battery

OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Other software: well it's a typical fairly low-end laptop. So you mostly have a bunch of crappy bloatware that wants registration and you should uninstall it and use quality open source based software instead, if clicking a link to uninstall (control panel is where you do that) or install something (once you download an install file to your hard drive) doesn't seem too challenging. Use MS IE to go get free Firefox and Chrome then close IE. Use one of those to go to CNet and get free Avast (an Anti Viral program). Reboot. Uninstall the junk you don't want. Install all the windows updates critically needed. Install the various free software you might want. (I recommend: OpenOffice suite for all the microsoft-like programs, free. 7Zip or WinZip utility. Music Monkey or Jet Audio free jukebox. FileZilla free FTP. When possible stick to download dotcom and cnet dotcom for s/w because they will make sure it is 'clean'.) Textpad is not a free editor but is 'nagware' and is a good customizable colorcode editor if you write code or do much in text. This PC does however come with some decent software free such as two Corel graphic/video programs and Roxio. (I prefer PhotoShop but I can't afford it so I only have it if I steal it. PSP is a good program though. I haven't seen the photo version but the graphics version actually has a photoshop-style interface option.) The microsoft office stuff this machine says it comes with is just to suck you into $. So try OpenOffice which is just as good. Or just use google docs if you're not too demanding and like the idea of being able to get to your stuff from any computer anywhere.

Warranty: mine came with 90 days and I bought an extra year, I'm not sure what amazon's options are.

I think this is a really good computer for the price. I have had every brand of basic laptop (the

Read More >>

Toshiba Satellite L755-S5271 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Grey)

I bought the Toshiba Satellite L755-S5271 to replace my previous laptop, a Sony VAIO VGN-CS110E that simply died on me after only 3 years of use. So far I am extremely satisfied with the Toshiba; it has everything in the latest technology, and is at an unbeatable price ($499.99). The screen is bright and sharp, the operation is fast and smooth, and the machine is quiet (unlike my Sony whose CPU fan makes a loud and unpleasant noise only after 2 years). It is said that Toshiba has the second best reliabiliby in the industry, next to Asus, and my husband has owned a Satellite since 2005 and it's still working well today.

So at $500, I think this Toshiba far exceeds the performance of some higher brand laptop computers. I was most worried about the battery life and while I do not know how long it will last, so far the battery is giving me about 6 hrs on eco setting and trust me, I have 8 Google Chrome tabs open, Outlook, notebook and Word and the computer is still faster than my old Dell Inspiron and my old Toshiba L45. On balanced level, I think I got about 3 hrs out of the laptop. In terms of the performance speed and capability, I am not saying that the performance is gaming level, but I think if this computer is for basic work or school,you will not be disappointed. In regards to shipping, the shipping on the computer was super fast and as advertised, I got it in the time period allotted.

Cons:

** Space bar a little too compact/short

** Speakers are crap

** To much pre-loaded Toshiba junk (easily removable in Control Panel)

UPDATEAugust 28th, 2011

**The Good**

1) Laptop is still exceeding my expectations on performance and speed. I have up to 16 browser tabs open at times in addition to Word and graphic files and the performance is still better than my old Dell Inspiron and Toshiba Satellite combined

**The Bad**

1) So this laptop is so sensitive in that in the middle of typing, it will resize your windows; one of the drawbacks of having a touchpad that is flush with the suface of the laptop. You can however, adjust the sensitivity of the touchpad.

2) My other issue is more with the preloaded Windows 7 than an actual issue with the computer itself. If you do a search on Windows 7 issues, one of the known issues is how Windows 7 and the synaptic device on the computer interacts. Basically, when you type on the keyboard, the information does not show up, rather, new tabs or windows pop open. If you are using a browser window, trying to type info into the address bar will actually open a new window. This has been proving extremely annoying and so far the only way I have found (short of disabling touchpad/mouse)is to ctrl+alt+del and then log out and log back in.

Buy Toshiba Satellite L755-S5271 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Grey) Now

In my opinion this is the best laptop on the market for the price. I bought this because my previous laptop stopped working after three years of use and after reading the specs on this laptop it caught my attention. I think the best thing about it is that it's VERY fast! And quite honestly I think that is the most important thing to most people, especially me. The hard drive is huge and can hold many many videos and music files. I've never owned a Toshiba but doing research has lead me to the fact that they are ranked as one of the top three manufactures of laptops! In terms of use, it was very easy to set up, the mouse pad is great and feels great, the keyboard is easy to use, and the battery is AMAZING. My previous laptop would only last 2 hours on a full charge, so this is a HUGE improvement. Although I haven't had it very long, I am excited to be using it for the upcoming semester.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite L755-S5271 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Grey) Here

Included below are parts of my initial review and updates as product, customer service and warranty got worse. MY FINAL REVIEW: Not only is this particular model so poorly made that I probably got 3 months decent use during the 8 months I've owned it and the 2nd one since Amazon replaced the first defective laptop; the rest of the time was spent making phone calls regarding this product. I spent more time, money and mental energy than it's worth to end up owning a lump of computer parts that I can do nothing with. TOSHIBA HAS HORRIBLE POST SALE CUSTOMER SERVICE, case #s disappear and the last straw was a Case Manager telling me: "why did you take the laptop to that dealer, he is not authorized to work on YOUR MODEL LAPTOP take it to civil court that's all I can tell you" ... as if I chose this auth svc dealer myself, or they never knew what model I had after all the "case numbers" and conversations. ALl I have now from this incident is a pile of computer components that I can't even sell or give to anyone. I hope no one purchased one of these because of my initial review. Furthermore, I'll never review a product until I've used it for 6 mos or more I may not even review anything let alone ever purchase a product by TOSHIBA. If Amazon was not presently trying to get Toshiba to do something about the laptop, the authorized svc dealer then I'd never buy another item over $50.00 from Amazon. I'm just thoroughly disgusted and amazed at the business ethics I've encountered due to this laptop and advise everyone to not even think twice about purchasing this. I will contact every Consumer Affairs, BBB and anyone so that no one goes through what I have in the past 8 months. I cannot even express the anger and disappointment I feel strongly enough in this final review.

*************** WORST TRANSACTION IN MY LIFE**************

* this is PART of my first review after one month of use:

"The hard drive died within 2 weeks of purchase. I liked how it performed while it did, so I ordered my current L755-S5271 (Fortunately Amazon [POP] has great warranty service).Toshiba Satellite L755D-S5279 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Grey)I think this is a great laptop for me as an artist..."

****REVISED 12.11.11********** 5 MONTHS LATER, AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH USB PORTS; INTERMITTENT CONNECTIONS. will see if I still think each company has such great warranty/tech service today, already had to exchange initial order due to Hard Drive***********

++++++REVISED REVIEW 02-02-12 DO NOT RISK YOUR FINANCES AND MENTAL HEALTH BUYING THIS LAPTOP!!!

I feel I have to delete all the great things my initial review included about this laptop as they don't matter one bit when the computer they are part of breaks down approx every 35 days. I'll NEVER EVEN CONSIDER A TOSHIBA AGAIN. As of today the laptop has cost close to $1K in parts that were never authorized by me to order. I wont go into what this laptop has cost me in mental stress, anxiety medication and doctor visits. I'll try to be brief as possible; Toshiba has a questionable method for who they allow to be called: Certified authorized toshiba repair tech". Toshiba has no concern for anyone once they've made a purchase. I would not bother writing this if I felt even slightly that the things that happened to this laptop could've been caused by me. I may take this story to a News COnsumer Advocates journalist when I've recovered from this epic error in judgement, purchasing this laptop and wonder if I ever trust another review on a product. THIS COMPUTER IS ONLY 7 MONTHS OLD and the second one I've owned in 8 months. If this alone doesn't convince you to run fast and far from this model or if you really want to know all that's transpired in the past month between me, Toshiba and their authorized agents please feel free to contact me via Amazon. I cannot write this atrocity of a ridiculous tale one more time without being heavily medicated to stop my hands from shaking in anger and frustration. The computer was great when it DID work, but in retrospect I now realize Ie spent more time trying to find out what happened to the computer than I spent actually using it. If anyone would like further detail on what kind of "authorized service techs" Toshiba let's represent them and their post-purchase attitude towards consumers, againfeel free to contact me via Amazon. I have documentation and receipts and every reference number that has to do with the things that have happened during the 8 months of owning a L755-S5271. I'm already living with the guilt that someone may have read my initial review on this product and purchased one. I had no idea things like this could even happen to a computer ..OR THAT A COMPANY CAN TREAT PEOPLE IN THIS MANNER POST SALE. ....... was RETURNED with TOTALLY DEAD BATTERY which "should not be connected to the laptop again" when it had a life of 2-3 hrs PRIOR TO ENTERING THAT SHOP only because i left it attached to laptop which was being diagnosed for 75.00 after a phone call to Toshiba would only answer my question for 38.00 because someone read the wrong customer info and told me my Warranty was no longer valid. ..... If these and the other malfunctions didn't happen to ME I'd never believe this story. I'm just warning anyone considering this laptop ...

Want Toshiba Satellite L755-S5271 15.6-Inch LED Laptop (Grey) Discount?

I just got this laptop a few weeks ago and I am very impressed with it. It took me the best part of a day to bring it up to speed but after all the updates, getting rid of bloatware, and loading my own programs it is working great and I see no problems with it. True it is not a $2000 laptop but for what I need it for it might as well be. I have a $2000 HP elitebook which my company gave me for work and this Toshiba matches it in speed and that is with the 1st genration I5 processor. I am definitely happy with so far for the price. The free Avast 6.0 is working with it fine and not causing problems. With an addtional hardware proactive firewall I feel pretty safe. I would definitely reccommend this computer to anyone who just wants an everyday computer and wants to get the biggest bang for their buck. This is my first Toshiba. They have a good rep for build quality and failure rates so I am hoping it will last longer than my Dell which was all of three years. I let you know what I feel 6 months from now if this laptop is still up on Amazon.

Read More >>

Lenovo G570 4334-9MU Laptop, 15.6" 2nd Gen Intel Core i3 Processor, 500GB, 4GB, Webcam, HDMI, Wifi

This computer was very simple for me to set up, took no time at all and I didn't have to pay any techie to do it, just needed to know my wireless password. Simple! Adjusting to its differences from my last laptop has been intuitive.

Aesthetically it's very attractive, contemporary-looking dark brown metallic, much nicer IMO than the black plastic-ridged case of some of the other 4334 series.

I've had it for a couple of months, and still finding it a pleasure to use quick, responsive and easy.

The card reader is a terrific bonus just pull it out of my camera, pop it into the slot in front. The speakers aren't going to thrill audiophiles, but they're certainly fine for normal use.

Only thing that was a bit of a problem was that in shopping for a laptop, Lenovo doesn't have any chart out there that lays out the differences among all the various G570 4334 models, and there are quite a few. In fact, the store where I bought this initially sold me a different 4334! Which is evidence of how Lenovo's model numbering is not at all user friendly. The differences among them are significant: some of them are pentium, some are i3's, some are i5's, with different casing, different other essential specs.

But I am liking it quite a bit, now that I got the one I wanted :)

I love it.. very good price and excellent product..I really recomend it.. thanks a lot.. I am making the most of it

Buy Lenovo G570 4334-9MU Laptop, 15.6" 2nd Gen Intel Core i3 Processor, 500GB, 4GB, Webcam, HDMI, Wifi Now

Read More >>

HP Pavilion 2000-363NR Notebook Pc

So I got this laptop for 300 at Frys on black friday. It's not too bad a laptop if you get rid of HP's crapware, minus two or so relatively useful utilities. Keep in mind this laptop is not meant to do any heavy lifting, so no gaming, vid editing, etc. What it can do is movies, light gaming like java or the like, music, web, email, composition, etc. For the price, not bad. The touchpad throws me off. I'm used to having an obvious border; this one just uses a light tactile feel. It's also wide, something I'm not used to. It also uses the dual finger thing which I'm not a fan of but I'm pretty sure I can disable this. The hard drive speed is relatively slow in the world of performance. Again though, not a huge issue for what this is supposed to do. One thing that does bother me; the UAC performance. The whole screen goes black for about half a second, which throws you off. You'd think that with a core I3 processor and windows 7 64 bit this would be damn near instant. However, I believe this is an issue with intel video lagging.

I'll possibly edit this in the future when I have more info.

Read More >>

Asus K53E-BBR9 15.6" Laptop (Intel Core i5-2410m Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive) Brown Suit

I bought this laptop from bestbuy for 479.99 plus tax in august.This laptops motherboard failed within the first 2 1/2 months. But Asus fixed it within a week so it was all good. The only thing I wish this laptop had was usb 3.0 and a 7200rpm hdd which would have been good. The 4gb ram is perfect since for a normal user you dont usually use more than 4gb of ram. This laptop is not perfect but its pretty good. Next time I believe I will buy an Asus but something with better spec's and also the i5 2410m processor is also very good and also with the turbo boast to 2.9 ghz from 2.3 is very effective.

I had been looking for a sandy bridge cpu, and had been tracking prices on multiple sites, when this came up I was amazed. I also had a $75 gift certificate and that made it even more appealing. I did put a ssd in it, took a bit of work to shrink the hdd down to the size I could put it on a ssd, but once I had figured it out, this thing flies now. Video loads and looks awesome, wei is at 6.5 which I think is pretty sweet for a laptop just over $400. It says it's a refurbished model, but it looked brand-spankin-new when I got it, besides some of the proprietary software that didn't work this was a fantastic buy.

Buy Asus K53E-BBR9 15.6" Laptop (Intel Core i5-2410m Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive) Brown Suit Now

I purchased this laptop from BestBuy for $449.00 in November, 2011. I have had no problems with it so far and it is quite adequate for surfing the web or any other functions that I do. The pros are numerous and the only cons that I have with it is it has only 3 usb ports which isn't adequate if you are running a cool pad and wireless mouse (I don't like using the touchpad). That leaves only 1 usb port for digital cam or other accessories. Web cam is adequate for low end pc. The only other con for me is the speakers, which are junk, otherwise I would have given this laptop a 5. Would recommend this unit to anyone who is looking for a budget priced laptop.

Read Best Reviews of Asus K53E-BBR9 15.6" Laptop (Intel Core i5-2410m Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive) Brown Suit Here

I bought this laptop last year and since that time I used it on external TV, it's really got good picture with HDMI and hold good amount of charge, We use it everyday. i bought used like new for cheap price and it was new for me, really clean with stickers and the everything. Recommended

Want Asus K53E-BBR9 15.6" Laptop (Intel Core i5-2410m Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Drive) Brown Suit Discount?

I bought the refurbished item for 459 $ looks like brand new. Everything runs perfect great keyboard So quiet and cool never get heat fan is so quiet battery is great 5 H

screen is amazing

I recomend this Laptop for everyone if you wanna play new games like GTA IV you need to buy model with nvida 1G grahics but I dont need that and Intel graphics on this one is great

Read More >>

ASUS N53JQ-XV1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Silver Aluminum)

I've had this laptop for a few days now, and I'm extremely satisfied. Here's my take on all the pros and cons of this machine so you can make a more informed purchase.

::::::PROS::::::

+ Ridiculously awesome deal. I got this when it was 20% off ($860) and free shipping, and within a day after my purchase they ran out of stock, and it came back a day or two later at only 15% discount. Those quickly went out as well, and the discount dropped to 14%. The deal on this is dropping fast, so try to get it as soon as you can.

+ Keyboad is very sturdy with very little flex. I've seen another reviewer or two complain about the flex from the keyboard, however I'm concerned they might be commenting on the wrong model. Flexing is indeed an issue on similar items near this series, but in this particular one it feels perfectly fine. The keyboard features a numpad, which it fits in by sharing a few keys, which is a nice bit of optimization. This is actually one of the more comfortable keyboards I've ever used on a laptop. I was really happy when I got to check this out, because this was my only real concern from reading reviews, and I absolutely must have a quality keyboard because I expect to do a lot of written work on this laptop. Luckily, it feels great!

+ Turbo Booster is a really nice feature. Your CPU(s) will automatically overclock based upon the current demands on your system. I'm not much for extra-accessory desktop items, but this comes with a nifty blue bar that sits on your desktop and shows you in real time what your CPUs are being overclocked to at that moment. Very useful.

+ Awesome transfer speed. Was moving a lot of large files around, unzipping things and the likes, and it moved at a really awesome speed. No doubt thanks to the quad core i7 processor.

+ Sound can go up decently loud for a laptop, and has pretty good audio by that same standard. The sound is supposed to be one of the strong selling points for this laptop, but I didn't buy it for that reason, it's just a nice bonus.

+ A great mid-level gaming laptop that will improve in performance over time. Right now, there aren't too many games that truly make use of quad core CPUs, however as more and more do, your performance in games should go up. You sacrifice a little bit of performance today, in exchange for a better overall machine and substantially more performance tomorrow. For example, a dual core machine that is clocked higher may out-perform a quad core i7 by as much as 10% in some games, however if you compare it to a game that supports quad core technology, the quad core jumps in performance by 60-80% (example: Dragon Age), which is a huge boost. This machine also supports up to 16GB of ram, so you'll be able to scale up over time accordingly. A great laptop that should last a long time. Be sure to switch over to "performance mode" when you are plugged in and want to game, for maximum performance (remember to turn it off performance mode when you're done).

Some games I recommend trying with your new laptop:

TheHunter (free) -this is a free hunting game, that looks absolutely amazing and is hyper realistic.

Alien Swarm (free) -this is a free co-op game on Steam that is based on the source engine, and deals with lots of units on the screen.

Dragon Age -the sequel is coming soon, but the original Dragon Age is probably the best quad core game on the market right now, a good test!

StarCraft 2 (get the demo) -This actually is optimized for dual core and not quad core, but will still be a good test for you.

Shogun Total War 2 -this isn't out yet, but it releases in March and if they are smart, the game will be optimized for quad core technologies. This would be a perfect game to make use of your i7, I just hope they make use of it.

::::::CONS::::::

Touchpad will annoy you. Firstly, the touchpad is far off to the left which I find to be an odd design decision considering most people are used to operating a mousing device with their right hand (I'm left-handed, and even I prefer to operate computers with my right hand from years of conditioning). Another problem with the touch pad is that because it's so far to the left, it routinely comes in your way while typing and causes you to mess up or drop keys when your forearm accidentally activates the touchpad. The clicker is also a rough click, which will make this very poor for mobile gaming purposes. The tracking itself is actually fantastic, it feels really good, but because of its positioning and its tendency to get in the way of your typing, you'll want to get a nice wireless mouse, and disable the touchpad from within your windows system. This way, you'll have a good mouse, and won't have to worry about the touchpad getting in your way while typing.

Epic bloatware from ASUS. As with any new computer, I was expecting to wipe it of a bunch of pre-installed junk, but I was really disappointed with how much extra garbage they had pre-installed. I was only expecting to remove a few things, but there were probably around 20 things I had to remove. For this purpose, I would recommend Revo Uninstaller, which is a great free uninstaller that will even delete the registry files along with the programs to make sure there's not any lingering performance setbacks. After you get past this, life is good again.

1366x768 max resolution. This is a bit disappointing for such an awesome deal, but I bought this knowing this was a limitation on this unit. If you play a lot of high-res games, or need really high res for art/editing projects and the like then this may be a deal breaker, so consider this strongly before making a purchase.

Webcam is not very good. You never want to rely on a laptop webcam, but I was expecting something a bit more useful. This is disappointing because the laptop has a nice shutter-slider security system, which lets you block your webcam's viewing lens at will for extra security even when you have your laptop turned off.

Weight and size is just slightly too much to be truly comfortable using it on your lap, but that's fine. This is more of a mobile desktop replacement than a sit-in-the-car type of laptop. It'll work great on-the-go provided you have a table to work with.

This laptop is basically the width of a 17 inch screened laptop, rather than your standard 15.6. This is because there is a good inch on both sides of the unit being wasted. This difference is obvious when you sit it next to any other standard-sized 15.6 screen laptop, so if you buy this just keep in mind that you're only getting a 15.6 inch screen for what basically amounts to a 17 inch laptop's space.

Glare on the screen can be pretty intense in light conditions, but you'll quickly learn to ignore it (there are also anti-glare screen covers you can buy off of amazon). In fact I've completely forgotten about it up until I began thinking back to my first impressions when opening up the laptop.

::::::PRO/CON::::::

+/The hard drive will come in two partitions (windows 7's fault), which means your OS will be installed on about a 100-something gig space, while the rest of the computer space will be allocated to a new D drive. This isn't technically a con, a lot of people do this because there are a lot of advantages to it, but for me personally I wanted both the OS and the main data from the system on the same partition. This was an extremely easy fix that was resolved in about 2 minutes (look up how to merge windows 7 partitions).

::::::WHAT TO ALSO GET::::::

~ If you're using this for gaming, don't forget to install Direct X. It doesn't come pre-packaged with the driver software. This can be an easy thing to forget!

~ Get a laptop cover. This thing collects fingerprints very easily. If you look up this specific model name (N53JQ) they have a nice black and red trimmed sleeve here on amazon that fits it perfectly.

~ Wireless mouse. The tracking and feel of the touchpad is great, but there are a lot of problems with where the touchpad is positioned, so make sure you get a wireless mouse (as you really should anyway, touchpads should always be a last resort). I got two wireless mice, a Berklin USB Retractable mouse (which is very tiny and plugs into the USB and has awesome tracking), and a Microsoft Wireless 3500 for more every-day use as well as gaming. Both mice track very well, even on your leg if necessary.

~ Electronics cleaning cloth. I got 3M 9027 High Performance Cloth from amazon, hasn't arrived yet but I knew the first day I got it that I wanted to keep this laptop screen clean. I suggest you do the same (plus, it will work on your android, iphone and tablet screens! So it's a good idea to grab one regardless.

Webcam. The webcam that comes stock with this laptop is very poor, but that's easily resolved by investing a few bucks in a high-quality webcam.

A laptop with a quad core processor and holds up to 16Gb of RAM for $1000.00! Are you kidding? The specs on this thing are awesome! I stuck another 8GB of RAM in mine for $114.00 and have 12GB now.

Pros:

-Quad core Intel with hyperthreading shows up as 8 processors in Windows and Linux. (7.9 score in Windows)

-up to 16GB RAM!(7.9 score in Windows)

-HDMI pretty standard on laptops except for Macbooks (Just sold mine so I could buy this!)

-USB 3.0

-eSATA

-1GB Video RAM

-Bluetooth 2.1 EDR

-Supports hardware virtualization

-ASUS has one of the best reputations in the motherboard market

-THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE WORKHORSE!

Cons:

-A little heavy to be carrying around all day

-battery life not that great (buy an extra charger to carry with you)

-keyboard feel is not very good. There is too much flex (spongy) I use a bluetooth keyboard and mouse when at my desk.

This type of power is a must have for IT pros and computer enthusiasts alike. As much as everybody is moving to virtualization and cloud computing this is the perfect tool for your arsenal. Actually, you can virtualize your entire arsenal and carry it with you! I'm not really sure what the other reviewer's problem was. This PC is great. Other comparable laptops I've seen go for $2000-$6000.

Edit: 3-15-11

The only reason I posted a comment in the first place was because I had purchased the machine and was amazed at how much I got for such a cheap price (relatively.) When I went online to see what people were saying about this machine the only comment I found was from the first reviewer that gave it 2 stars which I thought was absurd, inaccurate, and unfair. I never said the overall Win score was 7.9 and I never said this was a great gaming rig (although it's not bad with external monitors.) It is a great "workhorse". Meaning it has awesome RAW COMPUTING POWER Binary, 01's, it can process data very quickly and efficiently. It's by far, the most POWERFUL laptop I've ever owned. It's not he prettiest (Apple), it's not the coolest (Apple), it's not the best gaming laptop (whatever Alienware?), it IS a viable desktop replacement for power users. I have 2 22 inch monitors attached at 1680x1050, running Ubuntu 10.10, with several virtual machines (including OSX) and I couldn't be happier.

Buy ASUS N53JQ-XV1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Silver Aluminum) Now

I love this laptop. It's super fast (once I removed all the bloatware and installed Firefox, I hate IE) and super quiet. It stays very cool, except for a vent on the side. The battery life is better than my Asus i5 that I have, too. Lasts about 2 hours when watching movies online. Fine by me, I mostly leave it plugged in anyway.

The screen is beautiful, the silver finish is GORGEOUS.

The ONLY thing I hate about this computer is the keyboard. It's flexy and spongy and cheap feeling. If you are picky about keyboards, then search somewhere else. This one bothers me. But, I guess, not really enough to send it back, because everything else is perfect with the laptop. Argh! Please, Asus, stick with quality keyboards and light them up!! That would be perfect.

I use my laptop for photo and video editing. Also some graphic design with Adobe Illustrator. I've got Photoshop and Sony Vegas installed and they run fast and perfectly. This laptop is a work horse!!

Update: I have had this laptop for a few weeks now and I had to come back and say that I love the keyboard now. I got used to it and it feels great now. Maybe it was just me before. LOL. I LOVE this laptop!!!

Read Best Reviews of ASUS N53JQ-XV1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Silver Aluminum) Here

It is rare that you can find an out-of-the-box laptop with the power to perform without hesitation for 3D graphic designers, video editors and audio recording/editing. I am currently using mine for all of the above...

This laptop has the power of a high-end workstation and actually can cost you less. If you're looking for power on the go or small foot print for the mentioned applications this is a must-have. Asus is a top-notch motherboard manufacture and contrary to one review here I thought it also looked great out-of-the-box.

Pros:

no need in the mentioning the specs but they say it all.

Cons:

all the junk software that was preinstalled...

Want ASUS N53JQ-XV1 15.6-Inch Versatile Entertainment Laptop (Silver Aluminum) Discount?

After much researched, I concluded that this was the best equipped laptop for the money. The specs, as stated, are a ridiculous bargain for the price. Asus hardware oozes quality and durability.

For those wanting to upgrade the ram, the screws are under the rubber stumps at the bottom.

Negatives (if pressed) include lack of bluray drive, weight, and bloatware.

Overall, I am super happy with it.

Read More >>

Dell XPS M1530 15.4-Inch Widescreen Laptop (Tuxedo Black)

I'm a pretty seasoned computer user. I've been at it since about 1985 and have owned, built, configured and used dozens of computers over that period of time. Now, our office that runs several small businesses has four computers, and my Dell XPS M1530 is the replacement for a 6 year old Dell desktop that served flawlessly but was aging in performance. I did a lot of research before buying this one. My goal was to get a state-of-the-art laptop that would drive its own display alongside a 24" main display. We have a lot of power glitches here in Hawaii, so the laptop's built-in UPS capability was a big plus.

This computer did not disappoint. It has the 9300 CPU and is lightning fast for our memory-hog applications. OK, it had a flaw. About a week before the end of the warranty, the HD died. I called tech support, told them the error codes and they immediately confirmed that it was a bad HD and sent a replacement. I asked for some other brand of HD since this one had a known issue and that's why Dell was so quick to acknowledge the need for a replacement. Unfortunately, all they could provide was another one of the same drive. So I ordered an upgrade online (hard drives are so cheap, why not?), and use their replacement in an external-drive enclosure for office backups and large transfers, and I installed the new drive in the XPS. I installed the image I had (of course) saved on our office backup drive, and was up and running in an hour. BTW, it takes about five minutes to replace a drive in this well-designed laptop. And that includes the time to find the screwdriver.

Since then, no problems, and the computer performs as it was intended to in the first place. For the occasional use in which I actually use it as a laptop, I love the keyboard feel and overall build quality. This may sound a bit weird from a guy who considers himself totally outside the realm of what is cool and what is not, but this laptop is the best looking rig there is. No doubt about it, the designers had it together on this one!

The slot-loading cd/dvd is terrific, the keypad is slick, the display is crisp and clear, and most importantly, the performance is the best of any computer we have ever had in our office. Even working it's proverbial computer-butt off, it never runs anything but warm to the touch. This is in sharp contrast to many reviews that state hot-running as an issue. I understand the 9300 CPU has resolved much of this problem.

I gave it five stars only because Dell shipped it with a known HD defect and then refused to replace the drive with a different brand/model/whatever. The logic of that escapes me. For the last fifteen years or so, I have never had a complaint with Dell Tech Support. A caveat here, though, our support has always been from the business direction. I hear that the general consumer support isn't that great. Next time you buy a Dell, try buying it as a business purchase.

Do not buy this laptop either used or brand new. The NVIDIA graphics card is the 8400 GS or GT depending on the model and there is a known problem with them.

Buy Dell XPS M1530 15.4-Inch Widescreen Laptop (Tuxedo Black) Now

I have owned it for 4 years and so far I have replaced the speakers, hd, upgraded to windows 7, and the biggest issue is the gpu issue of it unsoldering it self, i have re soldered it about 3 times now using heat, looking for a mother board as we speak. great lap top, but the hardware sucks.

Read Best Reviews of Dell XPS M1530 15.4-Inch Widescreen Laptop (Tuxedo Black) Here

I have owned my XPS for 1 year now. Overall I am very satisfied. This is my 4th Dell laptop and the build is the best of all, particularly the hinge on the screen. After a year it is as stiff as it was out of the box. I use this laptop for my business and I am usually on it 7-10 hours per day. The screen is bright and the media player controls are convenient.

The only problems I have had are on the touch pad and video card. I do not use a mouse, only the touch pad. Fortunately I purchased the 3 year In-Home warranty because I have already had the touchpad replaced twice and the mother board replaced once. I seem to wear out the left enter key below the touchpad but the entire board has to be replaced. I also lost my WSVGA capability due to a known NVidia 8600GT card problem. Since it is integrated into the motherboard, again the entire board had to be replaced. However, Dell did not hesitate to replace any of the components and sent a technician to my home within 24 hours. This may sound serious but it was repaired quickly and easily and my overall satisfaction with the laptop outweighs any inconvenience.

Want Dell XPS M1530 15.4-Inch Widescreen Laptop (Tuxedo Black) Discount?

I have the six cell Dell XPS M1530, Intel core 2duo, cpu8100@2.10Ghz

4GB Ram, Nvidia Geforce 8400Gs, 320GB HD, 2.0 web cam I dont used the battery that much, but this labtop is one of the best I seen, got it Dec 31 2008, price was $1026. with military discount. I am a comsumer and this is my review.

Read More >>