I like the fact that it comes with Windows 8, so I didn't have to go through the painful upgrade process.The laptop is quick to boot. I plan to add another 4GB memory at around $30 for added performance.
I short, great buy!
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Showing posts with label notebook bag. Show all posts
Showing posts with label notebook bag. Show all posts
Dell Inspiron 15.6-Inch Laptop - 3rd Gen Intel Core i5 i5-3210M 2.50 GHz - 4GB RAM Memory - 500GB H
I like the fact that it comes with Windows 8, so I didn't have to go through the painful upgrade process.The laptop is quick to boot. I plan to add another 4GB memory at around $30 for added performance.
I short, great buy!
Acer Core 2 Duo 1.66GHz 3GB 160GB DVD±RW 15.4" Vista w/Webcam
I bought the Acer Aspire 5920 new back a few years back. Great feature set for the price. The keyboard has a rather cheap feel to it, but it is responsive and has a nice feel (although a little cheap).It's a great laptop WHEN IT WORKS. Major problem with the internal soldering. Here's a rundown:
1.) After 6 months it would not power on. Dead to the world. Spent hours reading posts, trying the "reset" procedure, holding it upside down, reseating RAM, the freezer, etc. Called Acer and was told it was the motherboard.
2.) Gave up on it, figuring it was dead, tucked it away in the closet. Five months later while looking for something in the closet, I came across the 5920. On a whim plugged it in and it worked. It came back to life all on its own. Cool! How often does that happen?
3.) Then ended up getting about 2 years use out of it, until last Sunday, same problem. NO power, battery light not turning on. Took it to a local repair shop and they looked at it, surmised that something isn't seated properly onto the motherboard. Was told at that point laptops go back to their mfg. for repair. Acer repair is a flat $400. The Aspire 5920 has been out for about 3 years, (I bought mine summer '08). Not worth the repair cost whatsoever.
4.) Did a ton of research on new laptops out there. The Dell is enticing and speaks to the consumer in usnice options, glitzy marketing, nice package deals. However, all I could hear in my mind was the computer repairman telling me on my recent visit, "We love Dell around here; they keep us in business." The Sonys look great, awesome style, perhaps more of a vanity purchase? Then again Sony does have a great reputation, but not so great when it comes to their laptops.
5.) Decided to find the most RELIABLE laptop out there, so I don't have to go through this again; it's a real pain. Apple won but the price point is way TOO HIGH for the specs, besides I don't feel like converting all my software over anyway. Most reliable AND affordable PC laptop is the ThinkPad series by Lenovo. Lenovo bought out IBM's stake in the ThinkPad line, but the line is essentially still the IBM ThinkPad. Durable, dependable, a little conservative looking (they are intended for the business user, but mainstream consumers are catching on)... and surprisingly the price is outstanding, esp. on a special. Lenovo's IdeaPad line offers some nice packages, esp. for multimedia, but after lots of research I found that if you want durability, the IdeaPad is not up to the same build quality as the ThinkPad (IdeaPad is Lenovo, ThinkPad is a carryover from IBM).
6.) For $549 you can get a solid, quality product from the ThinkPad line of computers. While I have enjoyed the Acer, it is obviously not built well. Don't waste your $. Good luck!
Buy Acer Core 2 Duo 1.66GHz 3GB 160GB DVD±RW 15.4" Vista w/Webcam Now
i have had my acer for about 4-5 years with little to no problems.its like a tank just keeps on rolling. its been dropped, in motorcycle saddlebags for about 8,000 miles, through airports, sat on,got crazy hot left under the blankets charging for the weekend, thrown, stepped on, spilled on and in a couple occasions thrown. I have had my first problem with it and i am fixing it, its the DC jack cord inside the case.Read Best Reviews of Acer Core 2 Duo 1.66GHz 3GB 160GB DVD±RW 15.4" Vista w/Webcam Here
Samsung ATIV Book 6 15.6-Inch Full HD Touchscreen Laptop (Mineral Ash Black)
**update 6/26**just a quick heads up!
do not bother updating to the new intel driver released 6/4/13 for wifi.
i tried it for a couple days and the wifi issues came right back again.
just stay on the microsoft wifi driver and you will be fine.
**update 6/19**
after a month this computer is still a beast. after reading the long thread and discussion about putting in a SSD, and it being too difficult i figured i would give a shot at installing one. (remember now i have no tech experience). well let me tell you it was retarded easy...and i did it in 20 minutes. and man this thing screams!!!
so you want to upgrade the ssd? do it. its easy. and don't worry the back comes off super easy and no it wont snap if you pull carefully.
steps you ask? don't mind if i do. :)
(before proceeding with this please order some nitrile latex free gloves and a micro philips screwdriver)
*order the samsung 840 ssd with the data transfer cable kit. (to clone your current hard drive)
*install data migration tool off samsung website and clone hard drive. (it took about 45 min)
*shut down computer, flip over computer, unscrew ALL back screws.
*start at front computer corner (left or right, doesn't matter) with a credit card pop up the edge.
*take that same card and push it down the crack on the whole front side of computer.(it will pop all the clips out, don't worry it wont break)
*do the same on both sides pulling the cover back. only thing now that should be connected is the back corner hinge things.
*push the back plate forward off the hinges and the enire backplate will come off.
*unscrew harddrive mount screws.
*unscrew hard drive holder screws.
*replace hard drive with ssd.
*reverse all your steps and re-boot.
this thing boots in 3 seconds now completely and opens all programs instantly.
ill post a few pics under user pics. enjoy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ive had this laptop for a few days so far so i will update this review as time goes on.
the good:
1920x1080p resolution w/touch on a ultra book style laptop.
dedicated GPU plus integrated.(good for those who play a game now and then)
back-lit keyboard
the touchbad: i love it, works almost as well as a mac...no joke.
amazing speakers...no joke very good for a laptop.
solid built laptop with premium feel.
decently thin with what i think is a perfect size screen/keyboard
aluminum body.
small power brick.
5ghz wireless support.
decent battery life.
2 video outs (hdmi/vga for dual monitor support)
core i7/8gb ram
the bad:
no solid state hard drive (you can notice it slows loading speeds down a tad)
no matte screen :( screen will have smudges especially touching with your finger.
aluminum body does leave smudges, but not that bad.
the plastic in-between the keys on the keyboard is GLOSSY! so dumb. it gets all greasy looking in-between keys. the picture they have showing it on here it looks matte but believe me its not...not a huge deal but whatever.
fn lock key, adjustable everything, u can even turn the fan noise down or completely off.
THE BIGGEST CON?
Intel 6235 wifi driver. If you on wifi it cuts you off randomly sometimes...and its really annoying, It is not the chip its the DRIVER. was almost a deal breaker but heres the fix:
getting rid of the "intel" driver and reverting to Microsoft driver.
1. Uninstall the Intel Proset wireless software/driver from the computer under control panel uninstall program. (not the blue tooth just the wireless)...after thats done..
2. Open device manager/network adapters
3. double click centrino advanced-n 6235
4.click driver tab
5. It should say driver provider Microsoft / 12/5/2011 / 14.8.8.75
6. click events tab to see if driver service added was (NETwNe64)
that will fix the drop problems.
then fine tune your adapter
1. click tab power management / uncheck allow computer to turn device off to save power
2. click tab advanced / make sure transmit power is set to highest
well i love this thing. its awesome. its slick. its powerful and it will make you very happy.
questions? just ask.
buy it
Cons: WiFi Drop-outs, Auto back-lit Keyboard, Heating/Fan Issue (on first laptop), minor smudging, no SSD
May 14th 2013
Received this laptop today and almost immediately noticed it had a fan and heating issue. Alot of heat keeps being produced at minimal cpu usage (only surfing the internet) so the fan, located right underneath the screen by the hinge, keeps kicking into an abnormally high rpm to cool down the system. The system continually becomes very hot and the top of the keyboard, possibly thanks to the fan location, becomes hot to the touch as well. This includes the 3 or 4 top rows of keys, making it extremely uncomfortable to use for even brief typing periods. Also putting the computer into the lower performance mode with the F11 Fn doesnt do much to fix this heating issue.
In short this means it is a very loud and extremely hot system most of the time... which needless to say completely ruins the computer.
I contacted Samsung about the issue and after about a good 45 minutes they suggested i send the laptop in for repair. I am awaiting a replacement laptop from amazon at the moment, will update to see if same issue occurs or if it's just an isolated defect.
During the periods of time when it is not behaving this way however i am pleased with the laptop (although keep in mind ive only had it for a few hours now). The keyboard is surprisingly very comfortable, the touchscreen works well, and the overall mechanical build is of high quality. The screen has almost no wobble but has some reflection to it like any device. The 1080p graphics on it are a surprising huge step up from the 720p of my 4 year old laptop too.
The matte finish of the case unfortunately allows for minor smudging, which might bother some especially if moving from a silver finish like myself, but isnt a major annoyance. The few times i tested the JBL speakers i was impressed. They are certainly nice especially compared to your typical laptop speakers.
Apart from these minor things and the heating issue I had the Ativ book 6 is a first rate computer by my standards.
5/16/13:
Received replacement laptop yesterday and was suffering from same heating/fan issue initially for a bit even after the initialization and all the updates were completed. Today however the fan has been low and heat minimal unlike the initial laptop. Ran the replacement laptop at max cpu usage and experienced the same heat as what the initial laptop experienced at 3% usage, fan wasnt interchanging btwn rpms though which is another good sign for this one. Also confirms something was terribly wrong with the first unit. Additionally putting it into low power mode with F11 puts the fan to a whisper even quieter than the 'low' rpm it has been at today (had no effect one defective unit fyi).
To be more specific than before the defective computer became very hot where the fan blows causing the keyboard keys to become hot and uncomfortable. Fan would not run at a consistent rpm for a long duration but rather interchanged between medium and high, along with a rare low, when simply browsing the internet. Running the photoshop app alongside certainly made it worse. Plugging the battery charger in also causes the fan to increase rpm and vice versa independent of the charge on the battery too on both computers.
5/27/13:
Had this replacement computer for awhile now and was experiencing frequency wifi drop-outs and connectivity issues. After uninstalling the intel driver and reverting to the windows one (as described by dissed in the review below) I have not experienced any issues! Had to change power settings as well so that the computer wouldnt turn off the wifi to save power.
Another issue is that the computer automatically turns on the keyboard back-lighting during low light conditions. The reason this is an issue is that you are unable to turn this off and unable to control the brightness level.
Certainty had alot of headaches with the defect unit and wifi issues, these things aside this laptop runs great!
So in quick summary computer initially has lots of wifi issues/drop-outs and is prone to become a bit hot/noisy under heavy loads. Unable to turn off keyboard back-lighting during the night and smudging is pretty common on the casing (but not too bad). Battery life was about 4.5 hours in my case which is alright considering the i7 and graphics card inside this laptop. Lastly had to make a few setting changes due to alot of automated things that dont make any sense (like putting the computer into sleep mode after 1min idle on battery and disconnecting wifi adapter after 5min). Meaning that someone who isnt great with computers might want to avoid all this hassle.
Buy Samsung ATIV Book 6 15.6-Inch Full HD Touchscreen Laptop (Mineral Ash Black) Now
I love everything about this laptop. The display is gorgeous Full HD. The JBL speakers are fantastic. The touchscreen is very responsive as well. I do have a couple issues with this Laptop though. It came with a dead pixel to the left center of the screen, it's only really noticeable when watching darker videos or darker backgrounds. But during those particular times, it can be quite annoying. On top of that, I'm having the same WiFi issues as the other two reviewers are having so far. If I am just sitting in a webpage typing and the laptop isn't attempting to connect it's fine and seems to be working great. But if I go to youtube or another website to watch an HD video, sometimes even just a basic webpage, the WiFi will start doing the same thing as the other reviewers. As expensive as this laptop is, I'd expect the Wifi to work properly.I love Samsung products, I own a Galaxy Note 2 cell phone, I have a Samsung Google Chromebook, a Samsung HD Television, and now this laptop. I'm hoping I can have it replaced with a model that has a fixed WiFi card and preferably without the dead pixel. I'm going to give it a day or so and see if the WiFi issue gets resolved, but if it doesn't I will most definitely be returning the laptop and hopefully having it replaced with a fully working model.
So I'm giving this Laptop a 2/5 for shipping with a dead Pixel and a pretty terrible WiFi issue. Changing battery settings didn't help my issue at all. But I'll happily give this a 5/5 if I can get the dead pixel and wifi issue resolved.
----------------------------------------------------
UPDATE:
I received my replacement Laptop today and the WiFi was still an issue for me. After reading "Dissed" review (which was added after my original review) I followed his advice and deleted the default Intel WiFi drivers and let them roll back to the basic Microsoft drivers and I've had Zero issues since then. The WiFi is working perfectly and quickly. It's also nice that this unit has no dead pixels. (also, my original model was having Touchpad issues that I didn't notice until after I wrote my original review) this unit has zero issues with that at all. It's an amazing laptop with a top quality screen. Worth every penny. I have now kept my promise and will upgrade this review to a 5/5. Fantastic Purchase so far.Just got this laptop in the mail today. Been playing with it for about 3 hours. I love this laptop! I haven't experienced the same issues as the first reviewer. No heat issues, little to no fan noise and wifi connects no problem. Browser speed is faster than my new workstation I use for work. I'm really impressed. The keys are really comfortable and quiet. It has a number pad which is nice. It's so sleek and pretty. It's just a beautiful and it feels sturdy. The screen is really crisp and very responsive to touch. Overall after a few hours of playing with this beauty, I absolutely recommend this laptop.
Update 5-24-2013.
Have had this computer about a week, still loving it. I started having some intermittent connection issues with wifi. My other laptop and dropcam connections were experiencing zero problems. I followed what the first reviewer said about changing the power settings for wifi to maximum performance. I still had occasional issues. I did the rollback to microsoft driver fix that a reviewer, dissed, said would fix the problem. Now this laptob is nearly perfect. So yeah, no other issues to report. My only noticeable negative is that this thing loves fingerprints. It's really no big deal, just wipe it down every so often. Windows 8 doesn't seem to be everyone's favorite software, but after playing with it for about a week, I've gotten used to it and now I actually prefer it. Boot up from sleep is pretty much instant. Really enjoying this machine.
Want Samsung ATIV Book 6 15.6-Inch Full HD Touchscreen Laptop (Mineral Ash Black) Discount?
Just received my laptop and am really impressed. Though much heavier than my wife's series 9, this laptop is very sleek and well built. I did have the same wifi issues as the others. After trying many suggested fixes I was finally able to resolve the issue by rolling back the driver to the Microsoft version. Three days later and not a single dropped connection.
Dell XPS XPS13-7000sLV 13-Inch Ultrabook (Silver)
I have been on a quest to find the perfect laptop for over two months. I have tried out the Asus zenbook, Lenovo u310, Acer Aspire S3, and of course here I am with this gem. All of the ones I tried had the 13.3 inch screen. None of them hold a candle to the size, feel of the Dell xps13. They all felt bulky, and cheap. I would have to say the Asus zenbook was closest, but even at that this one wins hands down.Keyboard This is the most comfortable keyboard I have used. Chicklet keys (that light up!) they are not square and flat like most, they are almost contoured and have a very soft yet responsive feel to them. The are most like the lenovo keyboard but better. Asus, Acer and even the macbook.
Screen Very nice, of course could be a bit better (not the highest resolution, but does the job) The screen is the perfect size, I have had 12 and that is just too small, while 14 is too large.
Performance I do a lot of word, powerpoint, video, music and surfing. No games. For what I use it for, it is perfect
Battery The life is great not the best at 7 hours, but I can get 4 hours out of it.
Overall Again, I cannot think of a better laptop. the size is really what gets me. It has the same size screen and keyboard as the compition but has a better fell and look than any other laptop on the market. Yes, even apple.
BUY THIS! Make sure to get the 256g because the smaller size is almost full from all of the factory software.
Buy Dell XPS XPS13-7000sLV 13-Inch Ultrabook (Silver) Now
12th october editingI am editing this review just to add some more facts.
Looks are attracting everyone around. This is by far very good one looks.
Battery lasts long as per description. I feel so empowered( especially after owning vaio which lasted less than 30 mins).
Start up time is less than 15 secs.
tracker is little tardy.
Black paint on key board is scratch prone. so be careful.
earlier reeview
As for as looks and weight, it beats mac airbook.
it is more sturdy and sleek than mac airbook.
258 GB SSD and 4GB RAM makes it business friendly.
keyboard is back lit and looks great.
keys are comfortable but need some time get used.
Looks are gorgeous.
What it lacks
1) cannot connect to projector
2) HDMI slot is non standard
3) SD card slot also is not there.
amazon delivery time as promised in less than 2 days. Infact most of the items i ordered got delivered in 2 days
all above are severe constraints. Hope to find solutions for above.
2 times in matter of 3 days , it got shutdown on its own from sleep. I am just hoping it was one of thing.
Track pad is slightly rusty.
Read Best Reviews of Dell XPS XPS13-7000sLV 13-Inch Ultrabook (Silver) Here
IBM Lenovo X60s Mini Laptop and Mini-dock Combo
Anyone looking for a cool/compact laptop should definitely buy this. The only cons I have with this laptop is (No CD ROM DRIVE). But I say it's 2011 and technology doesn't rely on Cd's like they used to. And I can just buy a usb cd/dvd burner (simple)!
Buy IBM Lenovo X60s Mini Laptop and Mini-dock Combo Now
I wanted to buy a cheap laptop for a trip and choose this, but The laptop have overcome all my expectations; it's like a new (with 6+ hours battery life!), works like a crazy, but the main what I wanna underline is that, once (after the guarantee term was expired) something happened with HDD and was replaced by the seller for free!!!I advise you to buy from Genie Technologies, LLC!
Read Best Reviews of IBM Lenovo X60s Mini Laptop and Mini-dock Combo Here
I had this Lenovo product for two years and in the first year the hard drive died and I had to send it in to be fixed. The second year the samething happen and the operating system went out as well. It took Lenovo 3 months to tell me if they were going to fix it. They never did and exchanged it for a better pc with a brand name that I heard off. I will stay away from Lenovo products because they don't last long and it is a waste of money.Want IBM Lenovo X60s Mini Laptop and Mini-dock Combo Discount?
Toshiba Satellite A205-S5000 Celeron 540 1.86GHz 2GB 120GB DVD±RW DL 15.4" Vista Home Premium (Ony
I have had this computer since 2008 and it works amazingly! The best part was being in college I would type papers and such in bed and would fall asleep. I fell asleep with it in my lap so many times and would roll over and down it would go crashing onto the tile and I was astonished that the worst I ever did was break one of the USB ports because when it fell i had a cord in it but the rest of the computer is in perfect condition. Never had any technical problems or anything. If you are a klutz like myself this is the perfect computer. My first computer as a kid at 13 was a Toshiba laptop and it was one of the old dinosaur versions. It lasted me for 6+ years, and I mean parts were hanging off of it from my clumsy destructive nature, but it still worked! It was pretty impressive. I bought a dell to upgrade, killed it within a year, bought a second dell and the battery kicked the bucket within 2 years, which is when i bought the satellite a205-5000 and its been amazing. It s been 5 years since I bought it and it hasn't let me down yet. I would recommend Toshiba again and again.
Dell XPS XPS15-9474sLV 15-Inch Laptop
I've had problems with the wireless card on this computer since I got it. It says it's connected to the internet, but frequently drops the connection. I ended up paying $275 for Dell's concierge service, and they replaced the card, but it still happens, though slightly less often. The screen is great, lots of memory, runs quickly,even with Adobe Photoshop running but the internet issues kill this computer for me.
Buy Dell XPS XPS15-9474sLV 15-Inch Laptop Now
I really love this computer! It's not the fastest thing you can get on the market but it's certainly worth every cent I paid for it! The keyboard is really responsive and quiet. The touch pad is wonderful, picks up the lightest touch when you want it to but it never picks up my wrists. Really nice features and a really sturdy design.The touch pad and around the touch pad has a rubberized feel to it that can be hard to keep clean so keep that in mind. If you're a neat freak like myself, this might not be the best choice for you. It's pretty heavy for it's size, the macbook pro weighs a good pound less than this guy. Battery life is pretty good, lasts a good 5 and a half hours fully charged when watching a movie so you can get through the majority of plane rides with this guy.
Great computer overall, I would highly suggest this to any of my friends.
Read Best Reviews of Dell XPS XPS15-9474sLV 15-Inch Laptop Here
The laptop really sucks. I called Dell THREE times for different problems in the first week. The problems include a fallen-out Fn key, a disfunction SD slot and the BIOS system. The touchpad is really a mess because it reacts to anything even a hair on it. I chose XPS because my last laptop is an XPS and I never called Dell for technical help for SIX years. In my opinion the company is going down and my next laptop is definitely NOT gonna be a Dell.
Toshiba 15.6" Laptop 3GB 320GB | C655D-S5518
I have owned expensive computers before(ie Macbook pro) when I bought this computer I was impressed by its price and usefulness. It is very capable of doing everything other big name laptops do, the screen resolution is impressive, and it is easy to use. I enjoyed owning this computer and think it is great for casual and even intensive use(I used it to code C++ for a while). The price makes it a no brainer.
HP Envy 17-3290NR 17.3-Inch 3D Laptop (Silver)
First of all be warned that I don't have this exact model, but Envy 17-3290el which shows the following differences:processor: Intel i7 3612QM instead of 3610QM (slightly lower power consumption)
monitor: 2D instead of 3D
disc: only 1Tb HDD, no SSD drive
I made the following additions to the product:
Crucial m4 256Gb mSata SSD drive: the 1Tb magnetic drive is a bad performance bottleneck and the 256Gb SSD used as system drive allows the computer to run 3-4 Windows XP or Linux virtual machines flawlessly
matte screen protector: the glass-covered display is way too reflective, so that the matte cover improves usability radically
wireless mouse: I just can't get used to any touchpad, but that's probably my fault
Good things:
performances: great CPU, good GPU, fast with SSD drive
expansion: good. 1 Sata6 2.5" bay, 1 Sata3 2.5" bay, 1 Sata6 mSata bay, 4 usb3, 1 Hdmi, 2 Display port
battery: lasts up to 6-7 hours of my normal use (internet, writing, light web development) and 3 hours of intensive gaming. I appreciate HP battery management, as it doesn't continue to charge a full battery when connected to the network: I had this problems with Acer notebooks and it took painfully careful management or the battery would die too soon
display: good, not an IPS one, but a TN display with good viewing angle, contrast and color rendition; just too reflective
audio: just the greatest notebook audio I ever heard
keyboard: good. To dim/increase backlight you should press the keyboard backlight button plus up/down arrows (this was not in the manuals and I had some issue as it was my first backlit keyboard)
heating: none at all. Unless the battery is charging, the 120w adapter stays cold or just a little above room temperature. Putting a roof to CPU performance at 99% in battery management in order to disable turbo boost, CPU and GPU stay below 50 C even with intensive gaming and CAD/CAE
Bad things:
display too reflective, but with a matte screen protector you wave this problem goodbye
problems with the installation of Windows 7 from recovery discs. After several trials I even gave up trying to install from the recovery discs to SSD drive: I finally downloaded Windows 7 Home Premium 64 from Microsoft website, made an installation DVD and registered through the registration key on the bottom of the computer. However, this way I lost the Adobe Premiere/Potoshop Elements and I am still looking for a way that get those back
support: well, the good thing is that you can find a lot of help in disussion forums. Tha bad is just too bad: at the first problem i get a "Shut down and disconnect the battery" suggestion from italian support, which doesn't fit with the integrated battery, and the support should know...
size: well, if you choose this notebook, just remember that it's size and weight are huge compared to some more expensive or less performing alternatives, altough it's smaller than gaming laptops with similar performances
The build quality is pretty strong and it's a fast machine. It replaced an aging Dell Studio 1745. Like others said, the battery is integrated, but I never swapped batteries in my Dell. While I wish the battery would hang on a little longer, it''s adequate enough to lug into the conference room for 1-2 meetings.
Yes, it is a large machine. It serves a niche for those of us that want a single machine that does it all. The Envy fits the bill nicely.
Buy HP Envy 17-3290NR 17.3-Inch 3D Laptop (Silver) Now
The Envy is a great line of laptops. They're built well, they look good, and they deliver straightforward computing with no surprises. I set this laptop up for my Dad before giving it to him and I'm happy to report there was very little in the way of promotional software that had to be uninstalled.Personally, I would never buy the 17" model for myself as it really becomes more of a desktop replacement at that point and not very mobile. However, my Dad loves the larger size and he is very happy with it.
Read Best Reviews of HP Envy 17-3290NR 17.3-Inch 3D Laptop (Silver) Here
Received mine from Amazon at the beginning of the month and am very pleased. Mine did come with the Norton 2 years free. The 3D works fine. System start up is lightning fast. The light up keyboard is great and the machine runs pretty quiet and stays cool. Although I'm not thrilled that the 80gb hard drive is so small, I'm happy that it's a SSD. I foresee a day not too far in the future where it will fill up quickly and at that point I plan on replacing the drive with something larger but also SSD. I just have to try to make sure everything that's non-operating system is installed on the D drive. The D drive is partitioned into two additional smaller drives for a Recovery Tool and Recovery Data.There wasn't much bloatware on the system, which is great for once. The speakers are rather nice for a laptop, it has two headphone jacks on the left side and two display ports and an HDMI port on the right side. Unfortunately, the HDMI port is too far up on the right side. So, it's near your mouse hand if you're right handed. However, on the rare occasions I plug my computer into an HDMI cord, it's because I'm using my computer for whatever reason with my TV; so wouldn't be using my computer directly anyway..but still annoying nonetheless. I like the touchpad, which is unusual for me. It operates multi-touch kind of like an I-pad or I-pod. You can also turn it on or off directly through the touchpad by double-tapping in the corner of it. The screen is glossy and the colors are vivid thanks to the glossiness. However, this also means it reflects like crazy. But, this being a 17" laptop and not that portable--for me anyway, I don't really see this as an issue as it probably won't be leaving home. One thing that worries me is the slot drive. I can see this possibly being an issue at some point in the future but will deal with it when it happens. There's an eject button on the keyboard. Another nice thing I like is the keyboard function key locks so you don't have to hold down the function key when using a function button. Also, love the num pad. This is a great desktop replacement!
Want HP Envy 17-3290NR 17.3-Inch 3D Laptop (Silver) Discount?
It is very good more then what I expected...perfect desktop replacement Laptop..Only concern is 80GB SSD Hard Drive, it should have been at least 128GB. Overall very much satisfied.
Gateway NV57H15u 15.6" Red Notebook PC
I actually purchased this item on another site for $399 after rebate w/6GB of RAM. I've had it for a couple weeks now and it works great. The performance, keyboard, and display can't be beat for the price. The only thing that takes some getting used to is the touchpad being offset due to the larger keyboard. However, it works better than any touchpad I've had including the scroll feature. I've seen similar quality on "Premium" laptops. If you can get this laptop for 400 it's a steal and I highly recommend it.
Dell Inspiron 17R 17.3" (900P) Laptop Intel Core i5-3210M 2.5GHz, 6GB, 1TB, DVD R/W, Windows 8 ---R
I bought this laptop after my HP died prematurely. The design and aesthetics of this Dell caught my eye as did the 6GB of memory and the huge hard drive. In hindsight, though I like this computer so far, I wish I'd shopped more extensively and looked at more laptops in the flesh.I dove into my control panel (not that easy for me with Windows 8) and see that I have a Windows Experience Index of 5.2 on this Dell. (using a scale of 1-9.9) Other numbers: hard disc 5.9, Processor 7.2, Memory 7.4, Graphics 5.2, Gaming Graphics 6.4.
The computer comes in a plain Dell box with a power cord and minimal documentation and user help. Even the digital user's guide found on the computer hard drive is minimally helpful. In contrast my dearly departed HP came with lots of printed documentation and a large fold out schematic.
Likes -
The red outer case It's quite good looking.
The comfortable keypad
The huge hard drive
Responsive touchpad
The sound is actually pretty good for a laptop. Using a FiGO mini speaker I get excellent sound quality.
Picture quality is excellent. Watching movies or viewing photos on this computer is a treat.
Issues -
I'd have liked more printed help and documentation than the two extremely thin pamphlets.
Don't look for free programs and aps on the hard drive. This Dell has bare bones content with mostly just what would normally come with windows. There's a "free" thirty day trial of McAfee virus program that was $80 to renew. When I deleted the program to install a Trend program, McAfee offered a 20 dollar discount on renewal.
Windows 8 I'm not crazy about it, but the new system is not nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Learn the shortcuts involving the windows key and navigation becomes much faster and smoother.
You'll need two hands to open the laptop with its tight hinges.
The speed is Ok, but not as impressive as I thought it would me. I only strain the system with my photos and even when working on photos there are occasional hiccups and slow responses.
Price I found out afterward that this same computer could have been bought at Costco for about a hundred dollars less. Since I'm not a member, the cost of joining Costco and then paying sales tax would have negated any savings.
Bottom line So far so good. I'm happy but not deliriously so.
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Dell Inspiron M5030 2800B3D 15.6-Inch Laptop (3D Black)
I got this laptop recently, why the 5 stars? Because its Functional for my needs. Most Important Specs are:-Windows 7 Home premium, AMD Athlon Dual-Core 2.30GHz,4.00Gb RAM,320 GB Hard Drive,4.1 Overall windows Experience Index. This is NOT a laptop for Gamers, or persons who want to run applications like AutoCAD, ARCGIS, or Adobe Photoshop, Why? because the processor is a Dual-Core its wayyyy behind in today's terms. This is a great laptop for young children, university students (those who are serious about schoolwork and dont play games like HALO,Dragon Age etc. lol) I use it for checking my emails on the go, and for typing reports and my occasional chess game. Other specs are listed on this page (scroll up). It has a nice patterned finish and comes with built-in wi-fi and a dvd burner. I will update further as i monitor the performance and durability of this laptop.
**UPDATE** 22nd June 2011
I have decided to give a 3 month update. The laptop still continues to perform well. No noticeable cracks (as yet) on chassis as is customed with SOME DELL laptops especially around the corners (my DELL Inspiron 6400 has cracks). Yes it has no HDMI,no bluetooth a downer but not critical features to me. Some reviewers have misconceived my opening statements, I never said you cannot play games on this laptop, I'm saying that given the laptop hardware specifications certain applications (listed above) and games (not going to list too numerous) will either not run or run with slow frame rates especially newer titles.I use Autocad and ArcGis and when working on rendering 3D drawings (AutoCAD) or Queries for Analysis (ArcGIS) the laptop freezes but these are huge files.Your experience may vary depends on your type of usage.
One commenter made the point about the memory, its stated that the laptop comes with 4 GB installed DDR3 RAM (1333 MHz, 2 DIMM slots). Yes it comes with 4GB, however in the BIOS the frequency of the memory is 1066Mhz. Now some might say that this can be changed by doing this or by doing that, that's not the point (it cannot be changed by the way the fields are read-only) its advertised as 1333 it should come that way. Keyboard shows no signs of fading but sometimes i get delayed keystrokes could be software related though.
In summary still a good buy (I paid 399.99),I have no regrets with this purchase SO FAR.
The "3D" finish might not appeal to everyone, but I like it. It hides fingerprints very well, and it plays with light in a nifty way.
I haven't had any reason to use the webcam, but did test it to make sure it works. It's low-res, but good enough for basic things like chatting.
The software dock in Windows is a nice touch.
Pros: a nice bright display (I actually had to turn it down a bit), a roomy keyboard (I consider the lack of a number keypad a definite plus), and Windows 7 64-bit Home runs very fast.
Cons: no HDMI port (it has VGA), plastic case feels a bit flimsy, and the speakers are rather tinny. These cons are minor, in my opinion. Bloatware wasn't too much of a problem, either (I uninstalled only a few things). I do wish the memory card reader included CompactFlash for my older DSLR camera, but that's just a personal preference. Most devices don't use this type of memory card anymore.
Other notes: all the various ports are on the left side of the machine (one of the USB ports is at the very front of that side, which might get in the way for some), the DVD drive on the right, the memory card reader on the front, and nothing but the battery compartment on the back.
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Good value at $399 my sale price. I found it fast but heavy and upgradable. The "3D" finish is not attractive to me but will prevent fingerprints. I needed this laptop to run VMs for demos and development and this was in my price range. I found that the memory upgrade to 6GB was no problem($43) and keyboard removes ok for the memory access. Windows anytime upgrade got it to Windows 7 Pro for $89. Right now it is running an XP machine in virtual-pc and a 2008 server in virtualbox but having trouble running both at same time. The dvd writter works great and 3 USB 2.0 ports are handy. The wireless network is g and wired is 10/100 not 1000. I think networking could be better and the other external port is only vga should maybe be hdmiRead Best Reviews of Dell Inspiron M5030 2800B3D 15.6-Inch Laptop (3D Black) Here
After ten days or so of using this computer I have not encountered any problems with it. This is my first laptop but my fourth Dell computer so I am not anticipating any major problems. Setup was a breeze and I especially liked the way it found my existing router so I can use wireless internet. Just make sure you have your routers "security key" available to complete that part of the setup. Now I am able to sit in my backyard and be online at the same time which was the reason I purchased this particular laptop. I have very nice Dell desktop so I did not need a top of the line laptop loaded with bells and whistles and lots of great features. If that is what you are in need of then I suggest you buy something else. This machine makes a great secondary computer and really for the price you can't expect it to be much more. Three USB ports is sufficient for me, a Cd/dvd burner that so far is working very well.The three in one card reader is also a nice feature. Now as far as the battery goes it charges up pretty fast but the charge does not last that long which I guess applies to most laptops. Sound quality is not so good, I mean if you're looking to play music you might want to invest in a pair of speakers to hook up to the front audio port. Picture quality seems just fine to me, brilliant and sharp and easy on the eyes. There is no HDMI connection but does anyone really connect their computers to a television? As far as the pattern on the case (small circles) that I have seen some other reviewers not so happy with I don't think it's any big deal. I'm just happy this computer is working as nice as it is so far. It starts right up and loads up quickly every time I turn it on. As for preloaded applications/programs, you really don't get much. There are the usual free games that we are all familiar with in Windows and some others that I'm pretty sure you have to pay for to play most of them on line. There is also a popular CD burner program (won't mention the name) that if you really want to use then you must upgrade to the premium version and that is going to cost you. So basically it's useless. For me, for my needs this was money well spent for a secondary computer. I did not expect to get all that much for the price but what I did get was a computer that works and so far that I am really enjoying.One Year Later: After using this laptop for one full year I still feel it's worth the price for a good secondary computer. In my case as I've already mentioned I needed one to take outside with me. I have had absolutely no problems with this laptop as far as performance goes but of course there is a reason for me to update my review. The one and only reason I'm updating this review is because of the battery life. To put it as nicely as I am allowed, it stinks! The battery life just stinks! On a full charge I'm lucky to get two full hours from it. Sure I can tone down the brightness to get longer battery usage but who wants to look at a dull, dark screen? Now perhaps the battery that came with the laptop wasn't very good to begin with, I have no idea of knowing that. So this morning I am considering purchasing the replacement battery sold by Amazon thinking maybe I will get longer battery life. I just don't know if I want to risk spending over thirty dollars on a new battery only to find out it did not solve the problem. The idea of a laptop is to be able to take it with you, into the back yard for instance. Less then two hours on a full charge just does not work for me and I'm not about to start dragging extension cords out the window. So once again this is a nice laptop as far as performance goes and hopefully anyone thinking of purchasing it will receive a better battery with it than I did. Unless of course all of the batteries that come with this computer stink!
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I am floored to read all the reviews on this computer stating motherboard failure. My computer is 18 months old and won't turn on. The screen is black and then a series of 7 beeps follows. After much time on the phone with Dell I've discovered it is the motherboard and a repair would cost over $400. I am just one of many many people having the same issue. Shame on you Dell for no addressing this issue and making it right for all your customers. There needs to be recall on this model due to so many having problems with the motherboard. So here I am about to shell out come $$$ on another laptop. Buyer beware!
Gateway 15.6" i3-370M 2.40 GHz Notebook | NV55C49u
not really that good. battery dies within 20 minutes. overheats when watching movies, playing games, etc. Sometimes it freezes when music is playing and it won't work correctly until the music is turned off. Webcam sucks. It's slow. it makes funny noises. i got this laptop because it was the cheapest one at bestbuy, and I needed a laptop. If I were you, even though it's cheap for a laptop, i'd definitely do research, it's definitely worth paying more for a laptop that's actually gonna last longer than the 90 day Norton trial it comes when you first get it.
Lenovo 0579-A62 ThinkPad Edge 14" Notebook PC
This is a great laptop for the price. Sure the specifications aren't amazing but you can't expect too much for just under $400. I work in the IT field for a living, so I'm pretty demanding when it comes to computers. I had a work issued Thinkpad T410 with a core i5, and sure this isn't as nice of a computer but its also a third of the price. Not nearly as fast as my 8-core desktop, but not unbearably slow either.Pros: Battery life (up to 3-4 hours), size, and price.
Cons: Core i3 rather than core i5 processor, only 2GB ram, and low resolution display. Occasional issue with battery not charging, have to turn off the computer, remove battery, and reinsert to charge sometimes.
Upgraded to 4GB of RAM immediately after purchasing because 2GB is barely enough to run Windows 7. Only took about 5 minutes, and cost $12.
Overall I'm happy and satisfied with the laptop!
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I received the laptop at the right time in perfect conditions.Sadly I had to format the HDD cause the Think Pad Edge failed at the next day.
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it's ok for the money, but kind slow for demanding task, try to use it with office 2007 to get better performanceWant Lenovo 0579-A62 ThinkPad Edge 14" Notebook PC Discount?
I am coming from using a high end Dell M6400 that I bought for work several years ago. My work involves some photo editing, a fair bit of multi-tasking across programs, and a lot of word processing. I love how light the Thinkpad is, I love how long the battery lasts and I love that I can leave the expensive M6400 at home, where it will hopefully enjoy a longer lifespan.Despite these virtues, the new company supplied 0579a62 has me grinding my teeth. I feel like I'm working on the 486 I used back in college. Windows 7's background processes consume 70% of the computer's 2GB of RAM. It is hard to imagine anyone being satisfied with the performance of this laptop. The Windows 7 experience meter ranks this machine at 3.6 out of 7.9.
I've looked around Lenovo's site for information on upgrading memory, but the site seems to lack the resources I'm accustomed to. While searching with the model & serial numbers in the support area does produce a list of computer specs, there are no how to buy tools and part numbers are ambiguous. If I were shopping for a laptop, I would steer away from this computer, and indeed any computer that doesn't come stock with more under the hood. It is simply not worth the frustration that comes with waiting on this thing to catch up with itself.
Dell Inspiron i13z-3182RED 13-Inch Laptop (Red)
Bought this for my son and very happy with this product as a gift for his birthday. He really needs it because of college. He has not put it down all day. It is the absolute perfect size, and it's very light. This laptop is light enough to carry around school in his backpack. Only downside is that it doesn't have a DVD player for games but he got an external USB drive that he uses to transfer stuff form his desktop to his laptop. I am getting another for my daughter for the holidays. Dell makes the best laptops for the price.
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I acquired recently one of the earliest Dell Inspiron 13zs and had to ship it to Dell for servicing. Much to my amazement, their customer service and technical support was absolutely first rate, correcting a flaw in the battery and conducting extensive tests to ensure that this laptop performed as good as new; I am also grateful to them for giving me a year's warranty on this laptop despited the fact that I had purchased it second-hand from Amazon's Warehouse Outlet. As for the unit itself, I am especially impressed with how quickly it loads web pages, due no doubt to having 6 MB of RAM. Despite its relatively slow 1.4 Ghz speed, it has performed nearly as fast as an older Dell XPS M1330 which I still use daily; that older Dell has a 2.2 Ghz speed. This is almost the perfect laptop for web searching. My only reservation is that it seems to be less durable in construction than the Dell XPS M1330 or some other Dell laptops that I still use. Those thinking of getting the Dell Inspiron 13z at its currently faster Ghz speeds will find this a very good notebook equal in quality to similar ones from HP and Apple.Read Best Reviews of Dell Inspiron i13z-3182RED 13-Inch Laptop (Red) Here
It is exactly as expected. Wonderful! Easy to use and connects easily to internet. The only problem is with downloading any thing on a disk. Need an external hard drive for it. Extra cost! Great graphics.Want Dell Inspiron i13z-3182RED 13-Inch Laptop (Red) Discount?
Dell Inspiron i13z-3181PNK 13' (Small) Laptop Computer, red in shade received as ordered. Excellent. Installation achieved fine & Wireless Network Internet Explorer also working successfully.
Dell I15RV-1428BLK Laptop Computer / 15.6-inch Display Screen / Intel® Pentium® 2117U Dual-core 1
First I might say that I bought this identical computer model but my stock number was 1430BLK instead of 1428, but I can see no difference in the features. Ther are 4 USB plugs in mine. Disappointing is the absence of a parallel and serial connections, but there is an HDMI output for HD TV. I am not sure if the battery is the same as mine.Good basic computer for the price. But I must admit I got it from a big box store and paid about $300 for it last week, so that might have affected the 5-star grade I gave it.
It boots up in no time. There are some pauses when it runs, but few. It is way fast enough for me web surfing, much faster than my old Pentium-4 2.8 GHz with 2 Gigs of memory.
Don't let the "slow" [dual-core] clock speed fool you. With the super fast memory, large data caches on the CPU, and the 64-bit operating system and hardware, it is pretty smooth. The state-of-the-art architecture more than compensates for the clock speed. This CPU was issued just last winter, and uses only 17 Watts, yet the power supply/charger is 65 Watts, with enough headroom for the DVD, LED monitor, and other peripherals.
The Windows 8 seems scary too, at first, but I transferred my favorites, documents, etc. with the help of a USB plug-in drive, and "mastered" the OS in two days, making shortcut buttons on the desktop for things I knew I would use again. There are downloads for two huge user manuals from the Dell website, which I haven't looked at yet. I got help from a $15 book on windows 8, called "Windows 8 in easy steps" which got me out of a few jams.
Win 8 changes are mostly cosmetic. Some things about the Win 8 interface are definitely confusing, and some features changed, but "under the hood" the technical functions are very similar to XP, but looks nothing like XP. Once you shrink or delete the "apps" boxes, and fix your own virus checker, etc. (Dell pushes Mac Afee) it ain't so bad.
Microsoft has tried to combine the typical mobile-gadget human interface with the classic desktop OS look. It is like two operating system interfaces in one. You can choose which way to go. and you pretty much have to do your own desktop building. The only thing MS puts there is the trash icon and the explorer icon (with the familiar "e".)
I myself do everything from the desktop interface. I never used cell phones or mobile devices so that interface is weird to me. There are some functions that, in order to use, you have to go to the "apps" interface.
Gateway NV7310U Refurbished Notebook PC
rapido y seguro el servicio me gusto el producto porque era justo lo que vi es justo lo que me llego
HP Pavilion Sleekbook 15z-b000 15.6" Quad Core Series; 500GB 7200RPM HD, 4GB 1600MHz DDR3 RAM, Wind
This really sleek HP Pavilion 15z-b000 Sleekbook was a lot of fun to test out. I am not one who enjoys the whole test out and return type of person, as it doesn't really show the full benefit of the laptop in months. HP has a program you can test for 6 months and return. There was a bit of a mix up in the beginning but while we sorted things out, I got to try out a pretty sweet laptop.. It's funny that FedEx actually delivered this laptop to some broadband company and I had to drive in the middle of no where and pick it up. What a great laugh we all had when I went to pick it up!Now of to the laptop, this is very light weight laptop, very slim, has no CD/DVD, the keyboard is very thin, the keys are very close, and helps to keep crumbs free from underneath, typing on it, was something you did need to get used to if your used to your old keyboard. The mouse was kinda annoying at first because of the ridges, but once you got the hang of it was really nice. The screen is pretty thin, has eye cam, opens and closes very easily with just a touch of force. The charger is pretty long, and not bulky at all which I enjoyed over my other one. It's also available in 3 colors and I got the black one!
So this comes with Windows 8 and its something that is used a lot in this house since my husband works for Microsoft so everything we use is W8. I really love the 2 levels with W8. It is quite confusing at first if you jump from vista to W8. It does kinda throw you off. I learned it off my phone & my surface so I was pretty used to by the time I got this laptop to use. I love the desktop a lot it was used quite frequently for sure. The tile home page, is something you would use for professionalization with games, Netflix things you would like to access much faster then going over to the desktop. It works great both ways really. The desktop does NOT have a start button, you have to slide the mouse over to the right to get the side bar to pop up. Loved the whole top left hand corner window pop up thing, so you didn't have to keep pushing the window button!
Now this laptop does have a ton of GB space on it. You can easily like I did when I transferred my files over, which took 7 hours both ways ugh. But that was like 100GB. My photo's, my photography photo's, files, bookmarks, and so on. Laptop does have a card drive and actually love it over my other one. Very easy to get in and out, window pops up and ready to transfer with less clicks. You had the option to do on the desktop or the tiles page for pinning all up to you. Lots of GB's on this laptop for all sorts of work related things. This laptop did have some issued trying to load certain games with high resolutions. But most pretty easy games worked well.
Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 2746 Notebook
I had owned an IBM Thinkpad about 7 years ago, and it was a solid machine. Six months ago, I needed a new laptop for home use. I have had such great luck with Dell computers, and that's what I wanted to get, but Dell was charging $130 to "downgrade" to Windows XP, so I bought the Lenovo SL500, with XP included, instead.The first thing that I noticed is that the computer was wrapped in bubble wrap and shipped in a UPS box similar to a USPS Priority Mail type box. That it! No styrofoam or anything!
When I got it home, I discovered a bad pixel on the display. I immediately packed it back up for return, but when I got on the website, I discovered that you have to have a certain number of pixels bad on a display before they will take it back -there is some acceptable standard of bad pixels that we should all expect to be OK.
Next, the unit comes with wireless and a Realtek network adapter. It took me the better part of two days to figure out how to get the network adapter to appear on the hardware list so that I could select and enable it. This required support outside of Lenovo's useless customer service.
I finally got the thing up and running, and have not been terribly unhappy -until about three weeks ago, when the machine suddenly stopped loading web pages in their entirety, regardless of whether I'm going through the network card or I'm using the wireless adapter. The unit does a successful DNS lookup finds the page, begins loading... and thbpbpb... bupkiss. (Guys, you know what that's like...)
After checking to make sure the issue was not on my cable modem, router or other network components, I downloaded all the diagnostics from the Lenovo site and ran them. They tell me that everything is fine! I've reloaded the ROM BIOS. I've unloaded and reloaded the software firewall and anti-virus scanner. Still bupkiss.
Now I am digging up an old pile of junk Gateway from the basement to use just for web browsing. The Lenovo just won't do it -and there's nothing else wrong with it! It finds my e-mail server just fine.
Do yourself a favor -STAY AWAY from Lenovo products! It wasn't worth the lousy $130 I saved.
I have sent everything to my son in the meantime and he has used for a couple of weeks. He is using it wirelessly in his home but has not taken it on the road at this time. Everything seems to be working smoothly. He also has a wireless HP printer that he has been using with the laptop with great results.
I would recommend this computer to anyone who needs a solid computer to take on the road.
Buy Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 2746 Notebook Now
I used an IBM Thinkpad T60 in the past, thin, light and reliable, therefore, when I needed a personal laptop, I choosed Lenovo, thinking it'd at least be as good, since the SL500 had way better specs.No, NO, NO! It turned out to be a complete turkey, (and I don't mean the country), it is SLOW, even though I upgraded it to 4 gig RAM, it takes forever to OPEN ANY APPLICATIONS, takes close to minutes to Hibernate, shut down or switch on. In the first year, I sent it back 2 times, 1st for modem disconnection. When you 1st on the PC, the wifi works, After a certain length of time, it's line's dropped. And no amount of manual scanning works, it has to be restarted, and wifi is picked up again...... for a certain amount of time again, before "disconnection". So, I brought it back to service center, during warranty period, guess what, they said they know, very common problem. So they changed the modem card.
Next problem arise shortly after 1st service, within warranty period, when the PC is on and you have to carry it somewhere, some tilting is involved, out came some sound like breaking of glass, or dropping of a bunch of keys, I KID YOU NOT. SO I brought again, to Lenovo service center, GUESS WHAT??? APPARENTLY, IT IS ALSO A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. "It's the Fan", they said.
They fixed it, changed the fan..... Soon, it ran out of warranty period, and GUESS WHAT? The LCD went blank. Since it's no longer works and past warranty period, I just park it aside somewhere, as I had another work Laptop to use. Eventually, I brought it back to Lenovo (after I tested it by plugging it with VGA cable to my flatscreen TV, I knew the LCD blew), I brought it back to Lenovo to explore possibilities to change the LCD, GUESS WHAT?.... They were honest this time, told me to forget it, it'd cost too much, in the region of getting a new one. Recommended that I try some IT repair center in town. I did and the fixed it for Ringgit Malaysia RM400, instead of the estimated RM1,600 by Lenovo.
However, I suspect that while this SL500 is not the most brilliant of Lenovo's but problem's compounded by Vista Business Pro. I'm considerinbg if changing Vista to Windows 7 helps. But the modem disconnection problem is back, and I'm considering also to change an OEM wifi modem, chucking the 320 Gig HDD and changing it to 500 gig. I feel very cheated by Lenovo, but this comes with some Intel Duo Core T8400, boasting 2.4 Ghz speed, so it's a kinda wasteful if left lying around doing nothing. I welcome any feedback on what I should do with the unit, it's solid and heavy, probably hardy, but not suitable as a mobile unit.
Read Best Reviews of Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 2746 Notebook Here
Bought this laptop about 3 years now. Worked very well after I upgraded it to 4G RAM. (1G is not quite enough for Vista....proved) It is much quieter than the Dell I used before. The power cord is vulnerable just like the old IBM models. So be careful when you plug the cord in, never bend or twist it. I am cautious enough because I had the same problem with an old IBM X series years ago(that baby lasted over 7 years, hope this one could do it too). In a word, this is a good laptop so far as expected. The only thing is that it is not as light as the X series. But for $500 this is awesome value.Want Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 2746 Notebook Discount?
Stay away from this piece of JUNK!!!! This machine has been nothing but problems from the day I got it out of the box. I have had 5 ONSITE VISITS and it's still not right!!! Connection problems ON THE FIRST DAY...unexplainable error messages. Can't even load standard software applications without all sorts of compatibility issues!!! I'm going to wear their onsite support out because they're going to KEEP coming out until I've gotten ten times the cost of this piece of junk in service calls alone. And I'm going to SLAM Lenovo on every forum I discover on the internet.Too bad you can't rate this garbage with negative stars.
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.
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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.
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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