While this computer is $999, go for it! Fantastic price for this piece of tech!
That said, I purchased this laptop before the discount, and even then I think it is a fantastic price for what you are getting.
The two most iffy parts about the computer:
1. The touchpad. Whew boy. Initial thoughts, "I love it!" 20 minutes later, "I completely LOATH it!" About 4-5 hours of use later, "Meh, it is ok." Firstly, the gestures with this thing are fantastic, very smooth, work flawlessly most of the time. No complaints there. Moving the mouse around is speedy and very sensitive, which is great as well. I haven't really had any of those glitchy jumps and such that were described in the earlier models. The issue is when you start clicking. I found that clicking wherever your finger lays on the touchpad is the most accurate way to go (though still not flawless). Moving your finger to the bottom of the touchpad often makes the mouse jump a little bit when you click, often making you miss what you are clicking if it is small (though this still happens a little when using the whole pad). However, the top 1/4 off the touchpad isn't really clickable because the buttons ARE actually at the bottom.
EDIT: I find that the bottom of the touchpad goes down into the case a LOT when you click on it. I am thinking the mouse moves when clicking near the base because the touchpad is actually flexing a decent amount, making your finger roll a little or something. Not a huge deal, kinda annoying but not too hard to get used to.
2. The keyboard is a little shallow, but very solid. The keys are bigger than average, and quite close together. This might take some getting used to, though I honestly love the layout of this keyboard. I miss my page up and page down buttons (EDIT: Though not labeled, holding FN and using arrow keys act as page up/down and home/end), but I can indeed make due without, though it really wouldn't have been hard for them to add as the have plenty of room. There is one annoying glitch with the keyboard where it sometimes registers a key twice. I have played with it a lot and it isn't my typing, the keyboard does indeed register key strokes twice here and there. It happened twice with typing the previous two sentences. Another small gripe is the shrunk up and down arrow keys. I would have been happier if they just shrunk them all, as shrinking just the up and down makes it a little awkward to use in video games because of the different size. However, like everything else, it isn't that hard to get used to. And if it REALLY bugs you, redefine your controls in-game to something else.
The rest of the computer I find superb. The frame is extremely solid, very little flex in the monitor (which is absolutely beautiful), not to mention the whole machine has a fantastic simplistic design. It is a little hard to open, though you will soon discover the required technique and can open it with one hand. Also, the edges of the computer are decently sharp and can leave marks on your wrists after even short periods of use.
For such a thin laptop, you get some decent guts for a fantastic price:
Intel i7 ivy quad, 8 threads, with 2.3ghz clock and 3.3ghz boost. (Intel 4000 integrated graphics, but who cares? ;] )
Nvidia 640m LE of which I found was a Kepler with DDR3 and 1GB vram(to those who care, as there is a Fermi and DDR5 version as well) Underclocked base to 500mhz, boo, but there are ways to remedy that. This thing ran Unigine in 720p with 2x antialiasing, full tesselation, 2x anisotropy, and full shaders without dipping into the single digits, though it got awfully close. It liked the framerates of 11-17 in the heavier areas (This isn't a good analysis by any means, but take what you can from it).
-8GB DDR3 1600. You're not going to be upgrading, but you shouldn't really need to.
Also to note, I have yet to see this thing get really hot, even running Unigine (though I didn't run it for more than a few minutes). If this thing starts to burn I will come back and say so. Secondly, I find the battery life is about 4-4 1/2 hours of basic web browsing and full brightness (though this thing is monitor plenty bright, even when half way dimmed).
EDIT: Computer seems to be cooled quite well. I have done some gaming (GTA IV, UT3 and the like) for a few hours. It does get a bit hot under the speakers, however I am overclocking the video card a little and it still stays around 68-70C, highest it has ever reached was 72C. Not bad at all for such a thin laptop.
So yeah, quick sloppy review by moi (I don't generally write them). I would recommend it because of the build quality, nice specs, and cheap price. The only determent is the keyboard glitch and getting used to the oddly sensitive mouse clicking.
It would be hard to say more than the other extensive reviews already here, so I won't try; they're there if you want to read them. Here are some salient points, specifically comparing this machine to the Dell XPS 15. If you happen to be comparing the two, maybe you'll find this useful. (TL;DR warning. There is a summary at the bottom if you prefer)
I first bought a Dell XPS 15 (highest-end model, with 1 TB + 128GB SSD drive), for $800 more than this laptop. I didn't like it, and here's why:
Dell XPS: Bad trackpad. Vizio: Good trackpad.
The Dell has a delay on every action. A lot of false detections of gesture. Can't possible configure it to accept a double-tap as a right click (only a double-full-click). I can't stand the Mac-inspired "press the whole trackpad as if it were a mouse button". Conversely: the Vizio has an excellent trackpad, on par with the MacBook Pro, and handles double-tap and every other gesture I care to use without any trouble. Also, the Dell's trackpad seems to have higher friction than the Vizio. Both use basically the same finish for the trackpad as the body; the Dell's matte rubber body would seem to require a "stickier" finish on the trackpad.
Dell XPS: Excessive fan noise. Vizio: little to no fan noise.
I bought the XPS (and Vizio) because I want to at least occasionally play games. I'm not super hard-core, I don't need an AlienWare, but I at least wanted something on par with my 6-year-old MacBook Pro; these days, it seems like 99% of all laptops have no discrete graphics. The Dell XPS 15 has the same chip as this machine. The performance in Skyrim (full HD resolution, high graphics), while not stellar, is playable in both. However, the Dell needs to spin the fan at max RPM constantly, generating a racket well in excess of a full-size room-cooling tower fan right next to it. Meanwhile, the Vizio, running the same game at the same performance, only sometimes needs the fan, and the volume is much lower. The actual heat of the laptop (to the touch) is far less, as well. I credit the metal casing, as opposed to rubber (seriously? rubber? in a heat-sensitive device?), and likely superior cooling for the GPU.
Dell XPS: Heavy. Vizio: light.
I didn't expect this, and I'm not sure the official specs can back me up, but I'll be damned if the Vizio isn't at least 1/3 lighter than the XPS. It's the lightest 15" I've ever handled...lighter than a MacBook Pro. Not sure what the deal is. Maybe better heft? Something about build quality? It's light. Really light for a 15" that can play 3d games like a boss.
Dell XPS: Backlight chiclet keyboard (good!). Vizio: Non-backlit traditional keyboard (less good).
The Dell wins here. I liked that keyboard. The backlighting I can understand--the Vizio is 40% cheaper at nearly the same internal specs. The flat style vs chiclet? I think that's a matter of personal preference. I don't like the Vizio's arrow keys--there are two different sizes to force the bundle into a solid rectangle--but it's hardly a deal-breaker.
Dell XPS: Normal Dell charger (ugh). Vizio: nifty new charger (yay!)
Coming from a MacBook world, I was dismayed to see the sad state of PC laptop chargers. I feel like I just stepped back in time by a decade. That being said, Dell chargers are hard to come by without buying direct, in some cases paying 3 digits. What? Seriously, wtf? Even Apple charges 50-60 bucks for a charger...and they're APPLE. And apparently Dell computers detect if the charger is "genuine" and won't charge if it isn't. Okay Dell, get off your high horse. You're Dell, not Apple. I will give them this though: if you already have Dell laptops, your existing chargers will likely work.
The Vizio charger isn't a MagSafe (damn patents), but it's perhaps the next best thing. Less bulky than the Dell charger pin, with a colored LED to let you know if it's charging or not, it was a welcome change. Unfortunately, I cannot find a replacement charger anywhere on the internet (at this time, Vizio is "out of stock" with expectations of having more stock soon). Ding vs Vizio. Still, if they get more stock soon, all is forgiven. They're smaller than Dell or Apple, I can understand.
Dell XPS: Windows 8. Vizio: Windows 8. Result: draw.
Windows 8 is terrible. Awful. Abhorrent. Stupid. Folks, I've been using Microsoft operating systems since 1985. I'm not some Johnny-come-lately. I've never been a huge fan of Mac OS, could never seriously embrace Linux full-time, and have never used anything but a DOS/Windows machine as a primary dev/gaming/general use box. I say this in my full capacity as a consumer, a developer, a gamer, and an IT professional: Windows 8 is a usability disaster so bad that I honestly hope Microsoft permanently goes out of business (or at least leave the OS business) forever. As a tablet OS, it's at least a distant 3rd place. As a desktop OS, it is a crime against humanity.
That being said, both machines ship with it. If you use the new UI, the Vizio is your best bet (see previous issues with trackpad gestures). If you use the Desktop (and Pokki!) like a boss, it doesn't really matter. It's just software. But it's worth mentioning; unless you're 100% cognizant of who is to blame for the awfulness of Windows 8 (hint: neither Dell nor Vizio), you might despise either of these laptops (at least until you learn how to replace the Start menu and stay in Desktop mode).
Dell XPS: Attractive. Vizio: Very attractive. MBP: Extremely attractive.
I admit it. My primary laptop for the last 6 years was a MacBook Pro. I like an attractive machine. More importantly, I also like a machine with serious build quality--none of this creaky plastic that slowly loses its paint job and accumulates nast. After more than 6 years of heavy use, without any babying or protective casing, my all-aluminum MBP looks about 90% as good as the day I bought it. I can't say the same of any plastic PC laptop of half that age.
As any serious laptop buyer knows: most PC laptops are ugly and poorly built. That's changing (slowly (way, way, too slowly)), but there are leagues to go just yet. With either the Dell XPS or the Vizio, you pay a premium for appearance and build quality. Of course, in the Vizio's case, that premium is much, much less.
The Dell XPS is made primarily of metal (one would think aluminum, but the relative weight has me wondering if it's actually steel...or maybe polonium). The top looks very MBP-like, save for the Dell logo instead of an Apple logo. But the working surface (the one with the keyboard and trackpad) is covered almost entirely in black rubber. Why? I don't know. Just to be different? I'm paying for aluminum. Apparently aluminum costs hundreds of dollars per pound in laptop form (as opposed to ones of dollars per pound in any other use ever). So I shelled out the cash...why coat it in rubber? Rubber is high-friction; that's why tennis shoes have rubber soles. Got a pet? Or hair? Or humans living in your house? Count on hair, lint, and dust clinging to that rubber like Spider-man to a skyscraper wall.
Meanwhile, the Vizio's exterior is nearly 100% metal; the bottom is rubberized, but that's fine. I don't really care if cat hair sticks to the bottom. The top of the main body, and of course the top of the laptop when closed, are 100% metal, with the usual silver finish. Like that color? You'll like this. It also happens to be much less high-friction (see above), and I suspect far better at conducting heat (see above again).
A few notes about things where neither one wins:
Both of these machines have the same problem for me: when running 3d applications on an external monitor (via the HDMI port), the screen frequently (3-10 times per minute) flicks off and back on, with 1+ seconds of blackness, rendering it unusuable. This *only* happens in "second monitor only" mode, as opposed to extended desktop mode, or built-in-display-only mode. Because it happens in both machines, I suspect the Nvidia GPU--common to both--is at fault. So far, driver updates haven't fixed it, but I suspect it will be fixable (on either machine) eventually with only software updates.
Both machines seem to be having WiFi problems, with the connection randomly dropping (interval ranging between 5 minutes and a few hours), requiring manual re-connect. I doubt it's either laptop's fault (I haven't begun to rule out my home network, although it's worth mentioning I have two different routers from two different manufacturers, one of which is a WRT54GL, not exactly known for unreliability, and none of the 14 other WiFi devices on my network are having these problems), but the Dell does have a lot of complaints about WiFi, and it has me wondering if both of these machines are using the same, faulty chip, antenna, or some other such component. In any case, YMMV, but this is certainly the kind of thing either manufacturer should be on the hook for, should it affect you.
Well, there you have it. Didn't mean to ramble so much, but hey: more data > less data, I guess. I'll update if I find a solution to the WiFi or GPU problems.
TL;DR: if you're comparing a Dell XPS 15 to this, buy this. The performance is a virtual match for the high-end Dell XPS 15, but a vast price difference (at the time of purchase: roughly $2000 for the Dell, $1200 for the Vizio), and every single feature of the Vizio is at least as good, if not better, with the exception of a backlit keyboard and subjective appraisals of appearance.
Buy VIZIO CN15-A5 15.6-Inch Laptop Now
I've always been a desktop guy. My main machine I built by myself just to make sure everything was the way I wanted it. I never saw a laptop that could rival the power of a desktop that wasn't one of the 6 inch thick bricks they sell as "gaming laptops". I was excited by the ultrabook concept because it could eventually lead to a Windows revolution of thin laptops with solid specs, but the ULV chips inside are lacking in processing power and Intel Integrated Graphics 4000 was a bit of a let down. I was looking at the Asus UX51VZ for a really long time but the $2500 price tag immediately dropped my interest. So I sulked around for a bit until a video from The Verge about Vizio's new computers came out. It piqued my interest enough that I eventually purchased the CN15-A5.
First impressions: The machine is gorgeous. The build quality is amazing. The device is heavy, but having this incredibly durable aluminum chassis is worth it. Also, not important but the box was very elegant and extremely durable.
Powering it on: Boot was fast, but I credit that to the general nature of Windows 8. It's comparable to booting Windows 7 on an SSD. I went to ninite(.)com and downloaded all of my favorite applications as well as classicstart, which lets me skip the whole "interface formerly known as metro" thing and brings highly customizable start button back in. I recommend anybody using Windows 8 get it.
First hour. WiFi dropping like crazy. After one drop the wifi antenna disconnected and I had to use an ethernet cable. I investigated and sent Vizio an email. Here's what I got:
Thank you for contacting VIZIO PC support, I can definitely assist you with your inquiry.
First you'll need to download the Win8 Wireless driver from the VIZIO Website. Then follow these steps:
1. In desktop press WINKEY + X and press Device manager on the context menu on the bottom left.
2. When Device Manager opens open the Network Adapters list and Right Click "Qualcomm Atheros" and Uninstall.
3. A window should appear to confirm Device Uninstall, Check "Delete the driver software for this device", Press OK.
4. Reboot the PC
5. Run the WLAN installer and check remove to uninstall the software windows could not delete.
6. Reboot the PC
7. Run the WLAN installer and to install, it will ask to launch the installer, keep it checked and run the installer.
8. In the installer it will come with "Previous Installation detected", Check Uninstall and press OK to remove, Press OK to remove profiles. Press Finish
9. Reboot the PC
10. Run the WLAN installer and check remove to uninstall the software once more.
11. Reboot the PC
12. Run the WLAN installer and complete the installer now. (It should install straight forward now). Finish. Wi-Fi should work without rebooting now.
13. Double check to see if "Metered Network" Is turned off in PC Settings > Devices.
14. Test the wireless now.
This did the trick.
Keyboard+Mouse: I only use mechanical keyboards, which should be a sign that I'm picky. It's been three days and I'm still getting used to it, but it's definitely better then most. It should have a backlight though. The mouse is the first I've used of it's kind. The multi-touch gestures are very convenient and work pretty well. Vizio did a great job on it when compared to the generic ones I'm used to. One thing to note is when you click using the center of the trackpad the pointer skips a little. It's a pain but I'm getting used to compensating for it.
Battery: Not impressed. Getting around 4 hours with Windows Signature settings, but I am downloading something 99% of the time. I'm sure I could get 5+ when doing general browsing and music, but still, the fact that this is still an issue in our world baffles me.
Screen: Amazing. I'm not a fan of matte displays but this one does it right. No annoying color shimmer from poor application of matte coating. 1080p was a necessity on a laptop and this one nailed it. Maybe Vizio used some of their TV technology on this one.
Gaming. As of this review, there has been no in-depth gaming analysis. I've played a few games now. I overclocked the GPU a little and I reccomend you all do the same. I used a program called MSI Afterburner to do it.
BF3: Definitely the one of the most demanding games out there. 1080p is unplayable with anything above low settings. I played with many resolutions and settings and got the 40-50 fps I needed with nice settings at 1600x900p with a mix of low to high settings. Everybody is different in this aspect
L4D2: Not the most demanding game, but a 3d game nonetheless. I play it at 1600x900 at max because I like the satisfying gore effects. 1080p would be easy if you turned it off.
Civilization 5: 1080p with medium effects its very playable. As my civilization got bigger I had to drop some things a little, but this game is perfect for this computer because you can play it without a mouse.
Borderlands 2: 900p at medium/high settings. Very fun game btw
Looking forward to trying more!
Final thoughts. Although the WiFi should have worked out of the box and the keyboard could be backlit, it's a fantastic computer. One last thing worth mentioning is the general sluggishness of the 5400RPM drive. The SSD caching really helps when it's being utilized, but 32gb only goes so far, but keep in mind this is coming from somebody who only uses solid state storage in his primary computer, so it may be perfect for you. I'd still like to repeat that it is the best Windows computer I have ever used.
Read Best Reviews of VIZIO CN15-A5 15.6-Inch Laptop Here
I bought this laptop as my official "college laptop," and I am ecstatic to say that it was one of the best investments I made.
The first thing that pops out of this laptop is the sleek design, beautiful 15 inch HD display, and the textures used on the laptop. More importantly though, the cheap price for such a great product. I believe that this is a hidden gem. I don't know how Vizio is managing to keep the prices so low, but I would take advantage of the opportunity before demand for this brand goes up. I was trying to find a Windows version of an Apple computer, and I think this laptop is it. I feel like I'm using the next generation of Windows computers, and I'm confident that this line will exceed Apple products.
Pros:
Excellent display
Great specs
Design is modern and stylish
Thin
Price
Cons:
Average battery life (5+ hours, with low brightness)
No back-lit keyboard
No touch-screen
Could've had an SSD, but that might have made it really expensive
Want VIZIO CN15-A5 15.6-Inch Laptop Discount?
First off, here is my Spyder4Pro calibration file for this laptop's monitor. You can download it and load it in yourself through color management settings in windows.
visualplastikDOTcom/stuff/vizio-spyder4-calibration.zip
Screen was overly warm and yellow before calibrating. May take your eyes a minute to adjust to new profile.
I would say its a nice laptop screen, on par with the pre-2012 macbooks. Not the new 2012 IPS macbook retina and some nicer external glossy IPS screens. Plenty of resolution for Photoshop.
A mini displayport would be best for running my 2560x1600 27" monitor. That would be the only way to run it at 60hz at that res. Currently I'm using the HDMI port and that is limited to 40hz at that resolution (custom intel graphic setting). Not really that noticeable a drop, unless you are gaming. Photoshop runs real smooth at that size so the GPU is up to par. I'm also running another 24" monitor through EVGA UV+ USB adapter and that works fine thanks to the fast USB 3.0 ports.
I would prefer the keys were backlit and had a bit more travel.
The hybrid drive speed is good, not as solid as a full solid state drive. But you can always upgrade yourself later (likely will void warranty). And I believe you can manually upgrade to 16gb of RAM.
Build quality is very nice. People definitely take a second look when walking by.
One bug I've had is repeated drop-off with the internal wi-fi. Drops every 10 minutes some days, even with latest driver. Reverted to a cheap USB wifi plug from Amazon and problem went away, though that does swallow one of the two usb plugs.
Internal bluetooth works perfect with a bluetooth mouse.
MARCH 2013 UPDATE
I've replaced the main drive with an SSD and upgraded to 16gb of ram without issues.
Disclaimer: Not for faint of heart or those that wish to keep their warranty. I wasn't aware of what a hybrid drive was until now. There is a main regular spinner hard drive and an MSATA which is a caseless SSD drive that looks like a big stick of ram. Those two drives are set as RAID 0 to generate the increased performance. This means you can likely upgrade the MSATA drive separately, which is cheaper than a normal SSD and have two separate drives. I'm currently using the stock 30gb MSATA as a second drive in non-raid and haven't upgraded it.
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I bought this laptop a week ago from Amazon. It arrived on time and looked great out of the box. I switched it on and was running windows in less than 5 mts.. The keyboard and scroll pad are nice. Charged the battery to 100% and did video/audio streaming for 3.5 hrs continuously. The battery lasted all along with 13% left after 3.5 hrs. The laptop also felt cool. Excellent graphics and HD pictures. I think the laptop will easily last 5.5 to 6 hrs on normal use. That is value for my money right there. The webcam, mic and LED screen are decent. There are 3 USB ports and there is also a sleep n charge, which means I don't have to have the computer on to charge my USB devices. That is a cool feature. Also, the laptop weighs abt 5.5 lbs and that is not too bad to carry around. I have owned 3 HP laptops before and this is my first Toshiba laptop. I'm very happy with it.
