I really liked everything about the way the computer was built and the way it looked. Speed was reasonable. The only thing I thought could of been better was the resolution. I realize this comes at a cost so I rate this a 4 out of 5.
Showing posts with label inexpensive notebook computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inexpensive notebook computers. Show all posts
Mini 5103 N455 10.1 250/1GB
I really liked everything about the way the computer was built and the way it looked. Speed was reasonable. The only thing I thought could of been better was the resolution. I realize this comes at a cost so I rate this a 4 out of 5.
Acer AS5742-6682 15.6-Inch Notebook Computer - Mesh/Black
For the price I couldn't ask for more.Intel core i3 @2.4 GHz, 4 GBs of RAM, and a 320 GB hard drive.
Clear screen with rich color and a good black level.
Webcam is pretty standard for a laptop. Good picture given enough light.
Came with a bit of bloatware, but not too much. Even so, I reinstalled Win 7 and the programs I wanted for my needs (made sure to make an image of the stock configuration before).
Performance is quick and responsive while browsing, opening large pdf's, and watching video.
Should do fine with light gaming, although I don't use it for that.
With normal use, I'm getting anywhere from 3-4 hours from the battery.
Touchpad works well with no skipping. All the same, I invested in a laptop mouse and disabled the touchpad. Easy enough.
One little mono speaker, with the quality of sound you'd expect from that. It's clear enough to watch video and hear what's being said, but if you're planning on listening to music or watching video with stereo sound, get a decent pair of portable earphones.
It's pretty light for such a big notebook, just under 6 lbs.
If you're planning on traveling with this, you'll want a solid case for it. While it is by no means flimsy, it's not the most solid notebook I've owned.
Construction is all light plastic.
Have only has this for about a month, so we'll see how it holds up over time, but for now, all's well.
For just over $400, I consider this an excellent buy.
This is a very good Laptop for this price.
Buy Acer AS5742-6682 15.6-Inch Notebook Computer - Mesh/Black Now
I agonize over any purchase over $20 and this one (thankfully as usual) turned out to be a good investment. I was looking for a netbook or laptop that could step in as a home media PC (limited use), handle basic tasks like word and even some light video editing/graphic design I was drawn to this guy over and over for the 2.4ghz processing speed, 4 gig ram (upgraded to 8 for $31 at microcenter), ability to handle HD vid/audio through HDMI and just overall good reviews. Take off the limited bloatware, toy with the wifi (if you need to) and you will be rocking and rolling with this fast little puppy! I can run photoshop and 8 chrome tabs with no problems, I installed VLC player and have watched hours of 720 and 1080 video, mostly MKV's, with no problems or skipping or anything and I'm running out the HDMI into a 55" plasma. It's a gorgeous video feed and no tinkering with settings, pretty much just let it mirror your desktop which it does automatically. Sound on the speaker can get decently loud however it's tingy but rest assured through headphones or into your home receiver or just portable speaker it is cranking out beautiful sound and 7.1 channels with no problems. Didn't need the big hard drive but no complaints. As said, upgraded to 2x 4 gig mem cards (it has 2 slots only FYI) for a total of 8 gig. My only issue was the wifi signal at home dropping out, it would start at 105 MBPS which is good but I would watch it drop out to as low as 7 at times! I was even thinking of returning it, I restored it, updated drivers, still bad. My 2 yo Acer netbook was flying with no probs. I hardwired this thing through ethernet and it was a steady 150 MBPS but who wants wires?! Anyway, I just opened the intel settings and tinkered with it and it was being limited to a 20 ghz channel (or something, I can't recall), I put that setting on auto and it's been steady over 100 ever since! Netflix in HD, no problems. Phew! I got mine from microcenter for $379 + $30 for memory upgrade. Oh and ya, it's a plastic cover which means (good) lighter laptop and (I guess not so good to some people) feels cheaper than my netbook or older laptops but look if you drop these things without a static hard drive or whatever you could easily be S-O-L regardless so don't let that bother you. Buy this guy, open up the pretty HD display (I'm getting 4+ hours of batter life which is a super bonus too!) and enjoy for less than 1/2 of what a mac would cost and a lot less than ultrabooks at the moment.Read Best Reviews of Acer AS5742-6682 15.6-Inch Notebook Computer - Mesh/Black Here
I bought this computer for some correspondence college courses and general study/ internet and have been EXTREMELY satisfied! I wanted something that could handle some graphics for games such as battlefield and America's Army 3, but wouldn't break the bank and this is what I got! With the Core i3 processor and 4GBs of RAM, this thing ZOOMS on the internet! What a steal! the only thing that I don't like is all of the bloatware, but tha is to be expected coming from the manufacturer itself.5/5 for me!
Want Acer AS5742-6682 15.6-Inch Notebook Computer - Mesh/Black Discount?
The computer arrived in good condition, and in general is fine. However, the wireless network card was damaged, not connected to any wifi network, and after being checked by a technician, it was determined that the card was not working. I had to replace the part and not covered acer warranty in my country.
ASUS G73SW-XA1 Republic of Gamers 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black)
Just received this laptop. It does NOT come with a backpack or a mouse (it was written that backpack and mouse are included in G73SW-XA1 on Amazon's product page, but this text was later removed). :-(The material quality is great. Feels sturdy. Quite heavy, as expected.
Screen is glossy and has 1920*1080 resolution.
Windows experience index details are:
Processor 7.4
RAM 7.6
Graphics 7.0
Gaming graphics 7.0
Primary hard disk 5.9
Computer has 8GB of 1333Mhz RAM (4x 2GB), so it'll be expensive to upgrade RAM to 12GB(2*2 + 4*2) or 16GB(4*4) (since there are no extra free slots and you'll have to throw away existing RAM).
There is an empty 2.5" HDD compartment where I'm planning to install OCZ Technology 120 GB Vertex 2 Series SATA II 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive (SSD) OCZSSD2-2VTXE120G (I like the 750GB HDD + 120GB SSD configuration better than 500GB HDD + 500GB HDD).
Hard disk comes partitioned 174GB in C:\ and 502GB in D:\. Lots of stuff that I had to deinstall. The disk is Seagate ST9750420AS.
DVD writer drive is Matshita UJ8A0ASW (supports burning to Dual Layer 8.5GB DVD+R DL). WiFi is Atheros AR9285. Bluetooth is Broadcom BT-270.
For those of you who have heard about the Intel Sandy Bridge problem yes, it does have "New revision. Certified design" sticker.
Also has "NVidia 3DTVPLAY" sticker, so it should be possible to connect laptop to a 3D-capable TV or projector via HDMI.
Overall, I highly recommend this laptop.
Alienware Area 51M 5620 Laptop Battery (Replacement)
I needed a newer notebook as that and my 4 yr old toshiba were long in the tooth. I was not looking for a gaming notebook, but as this is not much more money for a gaming notebook. Now this notebook is huge, view it as a desktop replacement. Asus has also improved and not having a ton of bloatware. It is pretty much remove from box, remove wrappers, place battery inside, and fire it up and get to work. I love the layout of it. awesome keyboard, straight forward approach.
It runs quiet, and doesnt require fiddling with the setup, such a relief these days.
If the P4 extreme alienware area 51m, was not a dead give away... I'm and old gamer. I was playing crush crumble and chomp and soldering 6502 microprocessors, when many of you were not even born lol.
I love how the hard drive is setup with the partitions that make sense. Just be sure and setup your games on the 500gb partition and installing them there.
All the normal issues with new computers I have not seen here. The manual is crap on real geeky useful information, but whose isnt these days. The designers think we are all idiots, which is mostly true, but give me useful info.. took me awhile to figure out which hdmi cable I need to hook this up to my 55in samsung.
So, If you are in the need for a decent gaming notebook, and are not worried about size, weight, or battery life.
You know who you are when you buy a 17in notebook which is a desktop replacement, and then post a 1 star review complaining about how heavy it is, blah blah.
THIS IS A DESKTOP REPLACEMENT GAMING NOTEBOOK!
it weighs in at 8 pounds, it wont fit on the drop drown tray on the airplane unless you wedge it and halfway thru your lost season 3 dvd the battery will die anyway.
I am quite pleased with it as I transfer my games to this. Just buy it and you will be happy.
Very solid notebook.
Buy ASUS G73SW-XA1 Republic of Gamers 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black) Now
***UPDATE: Amazon has sent a credit of 50.00 to compensate for the backpack and mouse.I think that it goes without saying that this laptop gives you the most bang for the buck. I am not so much the PC gamer but I use applications which weigh heavily on the graphics card and processor. So far this laptop has been able to handle everything I can throw at it.
Pros:
i7 2.0ghz with (fixed) Sandy Bridge Technology
8GB RAM (expensive to upgrade to 16GB)
1.5GB Video Memory (beats best buys model by 512MB and 100.00)
750GB Hard Drive 7200RMP (again beats best buys model by 250GB)
LED Display, bright and does not wash out from multiple angles
Illuminated Keyboard
USB 3.0 (1x)
Cons:
Sound card...ugh. The Realtek sound card is of poor quality, the mic input is simply that. You cannot switch to line input, hopefully a fix for this will come in the future.
Bloatware, be prepared to spend some time uninstalling all of the useless tools and applications that come with this computer.
No backup disc, you must create your own (5 DVD's required)
Amazon said in description they would provide a gaming mouse and backpack, never arrived and was removed from product description... Shame on you Amazon.
The cons although annoying are not in any way deal breakers, this is a solid laptop with screaming performance from a great company. You will not find a better laptop for the price. 4 stars on this review, lost 1 star mainly for the sound card and bloatware. Amazon should make good on the backpack on mouse, those who rated the product 1 star because they did not get them should think about reviewing the laptop and not Amazon.
Read Best Reviews of ASUS G73SW-XA1 Republic of Gamers 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black) Here
the specs and value of this machine is very nice. after i accidentally spilled soda on my HP HDX18 laptop (twice...), i decided to get a real gaming notebook. the Asus G73JW was the best value on paper compared to any other machine I could find out there (Toshiba Qosimo, Alienware, Sager, etc).the Good:
video card = very nice (Nvidia 460M see notebookcheckdotcom for the specs and ratings)
runs very cool = I was very impressed by the overall cooling system. found a review that measured all the temperatures on the keyboard as well as vents in the back. compared to my HP, this was very comfortable and never got hot or even very warm under my hands when typing. never realized how warm my HP was until i started using this.
the OK:
most everything else is good enough. memory, hard drive, screen (although, i miss the 18.4" HP screen which was very nice. the 17" looks dinky when you get used to the 18" especially at the 1920x1080 resolution).
the Bad:
sound is poor.
keyboard = chiclet style keys which i don't like (but, this is a personal preference).
--
the Kicker:
when i first got it, it would freeze up occasionally. not often enough for it to be consistent, but enough to be kind of irksome. did the updates, etc, and it seemed pretty stable. after 4 months of use, it died. wouldn't boot at all. tech support was kind of a hassle won't bore you details, but HP's tech support was excellent compared to ASUS'. after going through the RMA process, i received the laptop yesterday. the keyboard wasn't installed properly was loose and flapping, i found that a screw wasn't even screwed down on the mother board (this was so obvious, even i could see it...) and i think there is a screw missing. the ASUS repair shop that did this, well, imo, sucks and it looks very shoddily done. the real problem is that now, after the repairs, it constantly freezes up. it is unusable. i have contacted ASUS tech once again, but i'm very disappointed w/ the machine's reliability at the moment.
so, at this time, i can't recommend this machine. i think ASUS really needs to step up their notebook quality checks. (i have asus monitors which are excellent.)
i'll update this review later after the next set of tech support.
--
update May 25, 2011
received the 2nd RMA laptop. turnaround was quick.
they replaced the keyboard (w/ a different color one for some reason) and hard drive (which now makes a clicky noise once in a while). again, new setup.
after setting up windows, it did it's asus live update and windows update... still freezes! sometimes tries to boot, and then shuts itself down. sometimes fails to even show bios screen... basically, the same thing as before.
3rd contact to tech support in progress.
--
a lot of the positive reviews seem to be immediate impressions. i have to say, mine was very high as well when i first got it. it's really the long term problems that i think this laptop has and all the little issues that seems to pop up (to me and to many others) that i never really had w/ other laptops.
Want ASUS G73SW-XA1 Republic of Gamers 17.3-Inch Gaming Laptop (Black) Discount?
So, I got this beast a few days ago and the first 12-15 hours I spent debugging the other 6 hours installing updates. This notebook is built very tough and stays cool, basically all of the comments before mine appear to be correct so far. The GPU is fantastic and the sandy bridge gives you 8 threads of beastliness (the CPU). Display is gorgeous and the material used very comfy and nice to the touch. This machine is very very quite even at full load and does not heat up.Note:
At some point the keyboard lights will not turn on for you. If pressing Fn+F4 does nothing, you will need to download the ATK driver from ASUS and do Repair>Restart TWICE. After that they will function again.
Toshiba Satellite P775-S7236 17.3-Inch LED Laptop (Black)
This laptop is incredible. The specs are simply ridiculous for the price, and it's pretty much ready right out of the box. There IS a fair amount of Toshiba preloaded apps, but they don't get in the way. There is no bloatware that continues to pop up and ask you upgrade. If its presence in your Start menu is that much of a problem, they are easily deleted and uninstalled from the laptop. And then that's it. What's important is the performance of the laptop, and it delivers really well in that department. I often run many different programs, and the 6 gigs of RAM, along with the 2.0 gHz quad-core processor, really give you a lot of elbow room to play around with all of the features. I don't understand why people have problems with the look of the laptop. You can clearly see, this is a large machine. It looks pretty sharp with it's black finish, but it IS a little on the heavy side. It's screen is no joke, and produces beautiful images with great contrast. Since this is a laptop best suited for media, good audio would be a necessity. This laptop came with Harman/Kardon speakers, which produce extremely clear audio... Which is impressive since laptops generally don't have the best sound. They can also get fairly loud, which is a nice touch. The keyboard has separated keys, much like a Mac, which in my opinion, are much easier to type on.Overall, I'd say the only problem I have with this laptop is the battery. Depending on what you're doing, it can range from an hour and a half to 4 hours. There's a nice ecoUtility feature that can be turned on easily by pressing a button. It dims your screen and cuts down performance in the places where you don't need it so you can prolong the battery life when you really need it. I highly recommend this laptop if it's in your budget.
-Simple, fast response times for most non-3D based programs.
-Uses system resources well, doesn't lag horribly with simple tasks such as internet, email, word processing, etc. (That's mostly the i7 processor and the Windows 7 processing power.)
-Straightforward and easy-to-use shortcut buttons.
-Keyboard is very smooth and responsive.
-Battery life is impressive: 6.5 hours on maximum performance settings and minimum brightness settings.
Cons:
-Does not perform as well as I would like in 3D programs such as games (League of Legends, Sanctum, and Left For Dead 2 all performed at minimum settings with an average of 30FPS).
-Comes with a metric mathton of bloatware from Toshiba, all of which is completely useless. Update programs, Service stations, all of it is a load. Moderately easy to uninstall, but I would recommend a clean install right off the bat.
-Blu-Ray required an update to the software before I could play any BR discs at all, was very inconvenient.
Overall this product is a bit overpriced, but with the free Xbox 360 I called it even.
Buy Toshiba Satellite P775-S7236 17.3-Inch LED Laptop (Black) Now
So I have had this laptop for over a week and I must say I am impressed. One of favorite features has to be the keyboard, nice big smooth separated buttons it really makes typing on a laptop much easier. The webcam is stellar and takes good pics. I love the big 17in screen very clear picture great for watching movies on your laptop. The blu-ray player worked fine with out requiring any updates, The sound with dolby advanced audio with Harman/Kardon speakers is some of the best compared to any laptop I have ever previously owned. This laptop also features harddrive protection that protects your laptops harddrive if your laptop is bumped or moved. I appreciate some of the Toshiba pre-installed software, especially the eco utility. The computers performances seems excellent with very little lag time. I am really pleased overall.My only complaint might be that my battery life only seems to be about 2 hrs fully charged without the eco utility on.
Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite P775-S7236 17.3-Inch LED Laptop (Black) Here
I am very happy with my purchase of this laptop. When I received it I was a little worried as there were a few mixed reviews. Also, I have never purchased a Toshiba before, and I have purchased a lot of laptops and desktops over the years. I am very impressed with the speed of this laptop even with the fact that the internet service provider in my small town has poor bandwidth it flies through the internet. The key board is great including the number pad. This is something I missed with my smaller laptops. Also, there was much less bloat ware then I was expecting and it was easy to get rid of. The screen is large and has brilliant resolution. I also am impressed with the way it hooks up to my TV and my receiver. I get a great picture and the surround sound works great. I am not a professional computer programmer; I am just a mom with lots of kids, fulltime college student, small business owner and volunteer addict. I get a lot of use out of my computers and since I purchased this one it has seemed to fill the spot very well. I would recommend this to others.Want Toshiba Satellite P775-S7236 17.3-Inch LED Laptop (Black) Discount?
Has all of the features I was looking for in a laptop and is a good deal for a system with Ci7. The screen is bright and fantastically big, and the overall speed/computing power is admirable. The touch pad feels right and your finger doesn't stick to it like some HPs I've used. The bluray drive is nice and I havent had any issues with it. Will definitely recommend this system to my friends.
Acer Aspire AS5560G-Sb468 15.6" Notebook (1.4 GHz AMD A6-3400M Processor, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB Hard Dri
I got this laptop about a month ago, I use it every single day I even play a very popular MMORPG made by Blizzard on this laptop at maximum video graphics and the game runs smoothly no lag and my frame rates are still great. It's fast and I can use several programs simutaneously without any hiccups. It does get rather hot so I would recommend a nice cooling tray to place underneath it to protect your legs if you use it like I do curled up on the couch or in bed :)Watching Netflix on it has great picture and sound..I am very happy with my purchase, for the cost it is a wonderful laptop.
Next off "laptop that has less video and processing power than my mobile phone" Sorry, but you really lost your credibly and seems you are just a Mac lover? Nobody in their right mind would compare a cell phone ghz to a computer. If a cell phone is that strong, they would be running Window or Mac OS fully with no issue and do everything a PC can. Even play the newest games like Call of Duty.
"running a DVD in anything but 480i" are you kidding us? If people want to watch HD movie, they would buy Blu Ray media. Sure you can download and convert 720p onto a disk DVD, but nobody goes and "buy" it. Reason is DVD are NOT HD. Your logical is the same as "Do not buy this VHS, It is unable to play 1080p"
"expensive email laptop, then this is the machine for you, if you want something to game with or for entertainment then look elsewhere.", Once again, are you on something? Are you saying this laptop is only as strong as a netbook and cell phones run miles around it?
To all buyers out there, just think of this guy as some Mac lover who does not even know how to use a PC.I purchased this laptop to replace a faulty Macbook Pro, what I found was a laptop that has less video and processing power than my mobile phone. The specifications spout a lot of hype, and that is all it is, basically all it is good for is email at best. I am not sure what exactly an AMD A6 Quadcore is, but it seems to be slower than my 4yr old HP with the AMD Dual Core 64 in it and runs hotter, even the graphics with one gig of VRAM are mediocre at best. The laptop comes with a shortcut to Netflix, but cannot support the video, and don't even think about running a DVD in anything but 480i, this machine does not support any form of HD. If you are looking for an expensive email laptop, then this is the machine for you, if you want something to game with or for entertainment then look elsewhere.
Asus UL50VT-RBBBK05 Laptop PC Refurbished
I bought one of these PCs from the original vendor back in March when my Thinkpad and my Dell both died at the same time. I was a little concerned about the durability of the design given the thin and light form factor but I was impressed by the battery life and I really loved the rubberized palm rest (so soft compared the cold harsh plastic of must PCs). I also really liked the metal top (though I'm lusting over the newer bamboo Asus laptops!)In terms of speed, this machine blows both my Thinkpad and my Dell away -being faster than the Thinkpad (a T61) wasn't surprising. But the Dell was just a few months old and in theory has a better CPU.
The keyboard is decent -not my favorite but I have had far worse and I am happy with it. The trackpad -again, I have had worse and there is always a trackball when I get fed up.
One of the things I love about this machine is how cool it stays and how quiet it runs. You rarely here the fan and it doesn't burn your legs like the Gateway or a Toshiba that I had or HP laptops. I love the light form factor -especially when I traveled with it this summer though I was careful to put it in a well-padded case. Overall, I have been thrilled with this machine.
So then when I saw the refurbished units come on the market, I have been struggling with my inner geek for awhile trying to decide whether to get one. I had never gotten refurbished before -so would it look like a "hand-me-down" computer? The price is right -over 200.00 cheaper than the new version was purchased for. I finally bit the bullet the other night because I really wanted to have a spare computer (I teach online so if my computer doesn't work, I'm in deep trouble trying to get my job done.). You would be hard pressed to find a machine with better specs for the money.
I ordered through another website that Amazon often partners with because the price was about 20 bucks less. It arrived today and it looks and feels BRAND NEW. There is absolutely no way you would tell it was refurbished other than the fact that it was a little dusty around the bezel and the packaging wasn't as "complete" as a new system. There is not a scratch on it and it is performing perfectly. I'm going to take it to the beach and use it heavily for the next month to see if there are any other issues and will update the review if I find anything.
The upshot -if you are looking for a great machine that is fast, light, and has outstanding battery time, this is the perfect machine for you -assuming you aren't too hard on your systems (in which case, get a Toughbook). Don't be afraid of the refurbished tag -chances are you will never notice that it was not new other than it doesn't come with the "official" box and all the crummy pamphlets that they stick in new setups. You will have a top performing business grade PC from one of the most durable PC makers for well less than 600 bucks. You really can't go wrong!!!
I HIGHLY recommend this system!!!
[NCJAR]
This is my primary programming laptop. The extended battery life and the more than capable specs made it a no brainer for me. If I get inspired I can just whip it out of my back pack and type something up. No worries about having to turn it off and on, just wake it up. The big screen doesnt make the laptop heavy and it is pretty thin.
I don't care for the touchpad and its buttons but I already own a portable mouse so it doesn't really matter.
Installed Ubuntu on it. Runs great. There is a change you have to make to get Nvidia to work but outside that everything works fine. Brightness controls dont work but there is a fix for it, I just have not looked it up.
Barely any heat from the laptop.
When I saw that Best Buy was clearing this laptop from their inventory it motivated me to finally go out and get it.
Very happy with my purchase.
Buy Asus UL50VT-RBBBK05 Laptop PC Refurbished Now
I bought this computer at Best Buy to present web design to my clients and to educate them how they can manage their websites. For this task, it is great: The look of the computer makes a great impression to the clients and the speed is great for this also. The wide horizontal viewing angle is great when you have the clients sitting next to you. The Computer has a VGA and a HDMI port. So you can connect it to the most TVs in conference rooms, which is a great feature.Unfortunately, the vertical viewing angle is bad and the tilting of the screen does not go far enough, so a tall person sitting close to the screen will see the picture brighter with less contrast. There are two workarounds: 1. Using an external mouse and keyboard or 2. tilting the whole computer. But I have seen Notebooks out there with worse screens!
Conclusion
The computer is fast and beautiful. It is great when you want to present things on it. It is a very good computer to work on as long you are not doing graphics with it. Working with Photoshop or other graphic programs will drive you crazy, because the colors seem to be a little off even when you try to adjust it and the problem with the vertical viewing angle adds to this problem. Graphic artist should choose a notebook with a higher resolution and/or bigger screen, anyways.
+ long battery life
+ great Looks
+ HDMI and VGA ports
+ light weight
+ fast to work on
+ graphic card can be switched on/off
+ silent
bad screen (would love to replace it with a better panel)
Read Best Reviews of Asus UL50VT-RBBBK05 Laptop PC Refurbished Here
I spent months researching laptops to try to find something for my 17 year old son that would balance excitement of entertainment with practicality of university use, and that could replace his desktop which had died. I bought it as a Christmas present for him in September and since I had never bought refurbished before, I used it heavily to make sure all was ok before giving it to him. Not one problem, not one glitch, and certainly not one regret that I chose this one.This laptop exceeded my expectations. After giving it to him at Christmas, I even told him that if it wasn't exactly what he wants, I would give him the money to buy his own and keep his (secretly I was hoping he would choose to do that because it's perfect for me as well). He refused.
In his words: I love the design as it is thin, sleek and light. The super long battery life is amazing, the keyboard and trackpad are fine, it has excellent sound and video, and it is super super fast. It is quiet, doesn't heat up, portable, and attractive. HDMI output great, graphics card fantastic.
I too ordered it refurbished through another website and had never ordered refurbished before so I was a bit leery. Months later, we haven't had one problem.
Terrific laptop, terrific price, great for both entertainment and school/business.
Want Asus UL50VT-RBBBK05 Laptop PC Refurbished Discount?
I have this laptop for more than 3 months now and overall I'm not satisfied. Why I gave it a 3? Because of the 3 cons. If you want recommendation I'd rather get ASUS N53JF-XE1... or wait next year for sandy bridge...Cons...
1. Screen resolution I am one of those that think that 1366 x 768 is enough but when you have this pc you will ask for more.
2. Sound Well I'm not impressed... I watched movies on it and you have to use a headphone to understand what they are saying... especially when your watching with a partner
3. Battery I bought this laptop thinking It will last at least 10 hours but it's usually around 5-7 hours... You have to turn off a lot to get 10 hours and when i say a lot you have to find forum websites for help on how to do that.
The other issue I encountered was the customer support... If it's refurbished it will be repaired in a contracted facility... which means it won't be fixed by Asus it will be sent to a different repair shop in my case, it was sent to CompuDirect 3000 Inc. in Irvine, CA. My computer was practically lost for 3 weeks and customer support cannot locate where my computer is, Their customer support in this case was useless... You have to call CompuDirect 3000 Inc. to get an update because Customer Support doesn't really care if it's refurbished!
Apple MacBook Air Core i7 1.8GHz 13"-4GB RAM-256GB SSD-Lion-BTO/CTO(2011)
Get it from the apple store online refurbished and save a lot of $$$$. At the apple store website...on the bottom left side of the page under special deals click on refurbished mac...they are selling it for $1439+tax and you can get a full 3 year applecare warranty too. I am very satisfied with my macbook air that was shipped to me... it is brand new! no blemishes of any kind. The battery has lasted upto 9 hours! Overall excellent product.
Buy Apple MacBook Air Core i7 1.8GHz 13"-4GB RAM-256GB SSD-Lion-BTO/CTO(2011) Now
Too bad, amazon only sells a version without core i7 CPU upgrade. If they do and the price is around 1599 (since i5 version is at 1499 and apple store add 100$ for upgrading), I will order immediately.Read Best Reviews of Apple MacBook Air Core i7 1.8GHz 13"-4GB RAM-256GB SSD-Lion-BTO/CTO(2011) Here
Farhad Manjoo of Slate magazine was 100% right when he wrote recently, " If you want a great laptop, buy a MacBook Air." It's that simple.Want Apple MacBook Air Core i7 1.8GHz 13"-4GB RAM-256GB SSD-Lion-BTO/CTO(2011) Discount?
This is a great laptop. I like how it boots up instantly, and the almost weightlessness of it. Hey it is an Apple what did you expect me to say. LOL. I also appreciated John and his fast communication, the care in shipping it quickly to me and his personal follow up. Thanks John.
Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver)
First things first, this is an excellent machine. Zippy fast, feels rock solid and user friendly. It is a bit bulky but like I said, feels solid. Keys are lit and feel really secure. As a whole, you feel like you purchased a rock solid machine that wasn't built with cheap materials.Pros:
1) Great specs (i7 core 2nd gen, 6 gb ram, 750gb hard drive) & performance.
2) Rock solid build & feel (keyboard, touchpad & body).
3) User friendly to setup & use.
4) Two USB 3.0, HDMI & Bluetooth.
5) Excellent speakers, best sound I've heard on a laptop.
6) 2.0 mega pixel webcam.
7) Excellent deal for students with free Xbox 360.
Cons:
1) A little bulky.
2) Power brick a little big (but to be expected with needed power).
3) 6-cell battery is ok at best (2-3 hours). A 9-cell is available but currently $179.
In summary, this is not a MacBook Pro in terms of style but it's a great performer and despite it's slightly bulky build, the machine looks really nice & solid. It's also considerably cheaper than a MacBook Pro. On a side note, a bit of a gripe regarding Amazon -despite description being accurate, the last of the item photos shows a Blu-Ray drive (available as an upgrade). A bit misleading, I think. Only the photos of the actual model being sold should be on display.
The main upgrade the second generation Dell XPS 15 has are the newer SandyBridge CPUs which run cooler and are up to 30% more efficient than previous generation i5/i7s. The addition of a 1080p WLED multi-touch display is exclusive to the newer L502x model, but in my opinion you might as well upgrade to the BRGLED if you want a nicer display. Lastly the inclusion of Optimus is a big plus on second gen L502x's due to the ability to save more battery and lower temperatures.
The Dell XPS 15 includes the speedy USB 3.0 technology and offers up 2 USB 3.0 ports, one on the left side and one on the back next to the power connector. A USB 2.0 (eSATA/powershare combo) can be found on the right side of the laptop. On the back you'll find a gigabit LAN port and an HDMI 1.4 port. The SD card reader slot is flushed with the front of the laptop covered by hardly noticeable dummy SD card.
One of the main gripes I have with this laptop is the form factor and weight. The Dell XPS 15 is a whopping 1.5" at its thickest point. With the 9 cell battery plugged in, you're looking at carrying around a 6.33lbs laptop. That is both bulky and hefty compared to its competition, the Macbook Pro 15-inch model (boasting a height of only .95" and a weight of 5.6lbs). The 9 cell battery adds to the height of the laptop, protruding about an inch from the base of the laptop. Although the incline the battery creates makes typing more comfortable, it can become uncomfortable when having the laptop on your lap for too long. The weight and bulky nature of the Dell XPS 15 make the laptop less friendly for frequent commuters. I found it best to unplug the 9 cell battery when storing the laptop in my messenger bag.
I can honestly say I have never listened to laptop speakers as good as the JBL 2.1 speakers on the Dell XPS 15. The laptop includes two speakers on either side (each boasting 4W of power) and a 12W sub-woofer on the bottom of the base. That is a total of 20W total peak audio performance on a 15 inch laptop. The speakers are not only loud, but clear at high volumes. There was no noticeable distortion when playing music and movies at full volume. The bass impressed me the most, achieving a clear booming sound. Without a doubt these speakers make the Dell XPS 15 one of the best multimedia laptops on the market.
The 9 cell battery boasts about 4 hours of general use (web browsing, light video viewing). If you're going to sit down and watch a movie, expect around 3 hours of battery life. Finally if you're going to be gaming unplugged, you'll only get an hour to an hour and a half. The newer generation Dell XPS 15 includes the Optimus technology with their video cards. Optimus claims to give better battery performance by switching to the integrated Intel graphics when you are not gaming or using dedicated GPU based programs.
The back-lit keyboard is phenomenal. Typing is a breeze and the back-lit keys are easy to read in low light. When the Dell XPS 15 first came out, you had the option to add the back-lit keyboard for around US$25, but Dell has since wizened up and now includes the back-lit keyboard automatically with any new purchase of the Dell XPS 15. If you are buying this laptop from a third-party retailer, make sure you check that it has the back-lit keyboard if that is a feature you wish to have.
The Dell XPS 15 was the first laptop to include a Skype-certified webcam. The webcam is a 2.0MP camera capable of recording 720p HD content. While performing a Skype test, the person on the other end, could both hear and see me clearer than my Logitech Webcam Pro 9000. Video footage taken with the webcam was decent, but suffered from heavy noise and framerate issues when recording at 720p.
The wireless card on this review model is the Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300. This model was quickly taken down weeks after the Dell XPS 15 release due to lack supply for the overwhelming demand. It's a shame because this little card is by far the best laptop wireless card I have ever had the pleasure of using. The range on this Ultimate-N 6300 is rated as 2x that of the Centrino Advanced-N 6200 series, but what really makes the card shine is the addition of a third antennae. 6200 cards usually have only 2 antennae. Having a third allows for faster wireless speeds and an overall more reliable connection. Speeds are rated at 450 Mbps compared to the 300 Mbps of the 6200 cards.
The Dell Xps 15 is one warm machine. Notice I used the word warm not hot. If you're using the laptop for general everyday things like browsing the web and working on documents, the temperatures will hang around 55 degrees Celsius. If you're rendering video, expect the fan to ramp up and temperatures to hover around 70 degrees Celsius. Gaming will raise temperatures even higher into the 80s.
While these temperatures are higher than what I'm used to on my personal computer, they are not entirely bad. Most laptops starve for cool air because of the enclosed nature of the chassis, so temperatures around this range are actually normal. For reference, the Dell XPS 15 does not get anywhere near as hot as its predecessors the Studio XPS 16 and Dell XPS M1530. If the warmth the Dell XPS 15 gives out proves to be too much for you, or if you're a heavy gamer, I suggest you invest in a laptop cooler. Nowadays laptop coolers run around US$20 $50 depending on how much cooling force you want.
The Dell XPS 15 is the best multimedia laptop on the market at its price point. If you can live with the slight bulky design and 6lbs weight, you'll be able to enjoy the high quality JBL speakers, brilliant BRGLED display, and more than adequate performance it has to offer. Whether you're a gamer or multimedia enthusiast, this laptop will take everything you throw at it.
Buy Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver) Now
I am very pleased with this Dell XPS (L502X). Solid build, feels expensive. A little bulky, perhaps -but that's why it feels high end and not like cheap piece of plastic.The great: 1) Specs (I7 2nd Generation, 6 GB RAM, 750 HDD -mine came with 750 instead of the described 640 -thanks!). 2) JBL speakers best sound ever on a lap top -trust me. 3) Keyboard feels solidly in place & backlit love it! 4) Two USB 3.0 slots, an HDMI out & Bluetooth connectivity. 5) Performance you can multi-task all day long.
The good: 1) Machine stays cool. 2) 15.6 screen size shows off nice colors but not quite like a MacBook Pro -nice but not great. 3) Personally, I like having the Power cord, HDMI and a USB in the back. 4) Overall feel of machine -like the metal feel around the mouse pad/keyboard. Power button feels strong, like it won't fall off at some point.
The not so good: 1) Battery life is average. Three hours tops on regular, not extremely intensive use. You're going to need the expensive 9-cell battery if you want 4+ hours. 2) A little large as I mentioned above but don't let that deter you because in the end, the machine's solid build makes you feel as if you bought a quality product.
After a week of putting this machine to the test, I would recommend it. The price for the specs/performance you get is very good. If you're a student, you get an even better deal with the free Xbox thrown-in. Amazon has already run several promotions, including a $100 gift card. So if you've been thinking about buying a laptop, take advantage. You won't regret it.
Read Best Reviews of Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver) Here
I purchased this laptop from Amazon a little less than a week ago and truly enjoy this product. It is the seventh laptop I've owned(third Dell). The screen is large and very bright with amazing colors. The keyboard is very nice-I LOVE the backlit feature! The trackpad is large and works very well. The sound system and JBL speakers are the best I've heard in a laptop but still don't compare to my Bose Companion 3 Series II external speaker system. I got somewhat of a bonus in that mine came preloaded with Windows 7 Professional instead of Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. The laptop is pretty fast with the CORE i7 processor and 6GB of RAM. The 640GB harddrive is nice, but definitely more than I'll ever use. It seems to stay nice and cool while running, and is very quiet. So far, so good..My ONLY complaints about this laptop are that the USB ports are not real convenient, in that they are on the side towards the rear and on the rear of the unit, and I think the bootup time could be a little faster(my Asus netbook boots up much faster). Overall, it seems very well constructed and I'm VERY satisfied with my purchase...Thank you Dell and Amazon!!Want Dell XPS 15 X15L-1024ELS Laptop (Elemental Silver) Discount?
Surprised with the overall quality of this laptop as this is the fourth laptop I have purchased, second dell. The other Dell I was disappointed by and ended up not lasting long. However this model is very well built and lighter than I expected even though it is not as slim as some laptops.Pros:
expectional price to performance ratio
Core i7
6 GB RAM
7200 RPM HDD
Well built with aluminum casing
Excellent sound.. All the other reviews are correct, this is the best sound I have ever heard from any laptop.
Backlit keyboard
Dedicated graphics card
Cons
Not a bluray drive
Graphics card only turns on when software determines it is needed... Could be great to save battery but I would have liked a physical button to turn it off and on.
Overall love this laptop and would recommend it to anyone looking for a high end performer with great speakers and nice design
Toshiba Satellite L675D-S7052 17.3-Inch Laptop (Fusion Finish in Helios Grey)
I recently purchased the Toshiba L675D-S7052 laptop for my daughter to use in college. After reading some reviews I was a bit nervous, but went ahead anyway.I am not disappointed with this purchase. In fact, I'm quite pleased.
I have a lot of confidence in Toshiba Satellite laptops. I started off with a Compaq, years ago. It was nothing but trouble. When I replaced it, I purchased a Toshiba Satellite. I have stuck with Toshiba ever since. I have found that they are a hardly piece of equipment that just keeps going...and going...and going.
One of the things that concerned me, with some reviews, was the claim that this laptop is flimsy, bendable and liable to all sorts of bad things. I have not found that to be the case whatsoever. This laptop is nicely protected and is made out of a decent, sturdy material. It appears it can take a beating bouncing around in someone's car and backpack. I'm both comfortable and confident giving this to a teenager.
I am a fan of AMD processors. In my experience, I have grown to prefer them over Intel processors. This Phenom II Dual core processor appears to have plenty of power and speed. One thing my daughter requested, was that she could play games on it. She made me promise her. Guess what? This little laptop does just fine.
I am not too happy with the fact that this Windows 7 (64bit) version regularly sucks up 1.2 gigs of RAM just to operate. But then again, it comes with 4 gigs of RAM and is upgradable to 8. If I decide to add more RAM, it will take me all of one minute to install it.
One of my main concerns was with the number of USB ports. Many of the new laptop models only have two. That made me nervous for a couple of reasons. One, laptops get hot, so we're going to need to plug in a cooling pad. Two, some external hard drives require two USB slots to power themselves. Three, beside the other two...where is she going to plug in her mouse?
I didn't need to worry. I sat the laptop on the kitchen table all day long as I updated Windows, installed software and tested out the system. After sitting on the table without a cooling pad for 8 hours, i picked up the thing and it was still cool. I mean...really cool. My personal laptop gets so hot you need a cooling pad. After running hard for 8 hours, this little unit felt like it was still sitting at room temperature. This is nice.
It is also my understanding, correct me if I am wrong, but the newer external hard drives are back down to one slot. However, even if I am wrong, we still have three to play with. So, if it takes two to run an external hard drive, we still have another slot for a mouse.
Here is a nice feature: Ever had trouble with a laptop when you are typing and the cursor moves all over the place because of the pressure on the keyboard? I have experience this with IBM, HP, Compaq and Toshiba units in the past. However, on this unit...just below the space bar...there is a tiny button that can disable the built in mouse pad. When you want to use it again, just press the button and it starts working again. Nice!
Only thing I didn't like very much, was that the keys seem to show fingerprints easily. However, they are easily wiped off.
The 17 inch screen is beautiful.
I am very pleased with this purchase.
Awesomeness: Price, screen size, hard drive size, low heat, thin
Whine Factor: No Blu-Ray, no Bluetooth
Buy Toshiba Satellite L675D-S7052 17.3-Inch Laptop (Fusion Finish in Helios Grey) Now
After owning several problem-free Compaq and Dell laptops over the past 15 years, I made the mistake of buying my first Toshiba, a Satellite L675D. I admit that I was enthralled by the 17" display. Big mistake. HUGE MISTAKE. Less than four months after purchase, my wife opened the laptop one evening and the screen showed a crack in the upper right corner. I sent the laptop to the Toshiba repair depot and they claim she accidently damaged it and they want $325 to repair it. BTW, the entire system only cost $530 brand new. According to Toshiba Customer Relations (and I quote) the "accident was caused by opening the case too hard". I asked how that was even possible. Seriously, how do you open a laptop too hard? Toshiba said (and I quote), "you could have pulled too hard". If anyone from Toshiba is reading this, refer to T1-1174583 case # 110 331 001 320. I swear these are exact quotes. I currently own several Toshiba products, but after this experience I will never purchase another Toshiba product of any type in my lifetime. And now whenever I see someone even looking at a Toshiba laptop in Best Buy, HHGreg, WalMart, etc, I will warn them not to even consider Toshiba. Stick with manufacturers who stand behind their products. Toshiba is not one of them.