This has very nice features and is easy to use. Wasn't sure about Windows 8 but after playing around with it for a couple of hours I like it a lot. Would recommend this product!!
Showing posts with label verizon notebooks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label verizon notebooks. Show all posts
HP Pavilion g6-2219nr 15.6" Notebook PC
This has very nice features and is easy to use. Wasn't sure about Windows 8 but after playing around with it for a couple of hours I like it a lot. Would recommend this product!!
Dell Inspiron i14Z-1424BK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black)
This review is about the 14Z, this model's immediate predecessor, but with key similarities that make a review worthwhile. I have had this machine for 4 months, and basically I am very pleased that I have it. The keyboard action is terrific, and the placement of keys is perfect, making touch typing a pleasure. The backlit keyboard is outstanding I have decided I can no longer live without a backlit keyboard like this. The machine runs fairly quietly you can hear the fan, but it is definitely not intrusive, and I happen to be very sensitive to fan noise.On the other hand, there are some negatives. The left and right buttons under the keypad are terrible. It feels like you are pressing on a board, and like pressing a board, you can not tell how much of a press is enough to make contact. It is incomprehensible that after all these many years of making laptops, Dell can not come up with better mouse buttons than this these buttons are an irritation every time I use them.
Likewise, Dell has not provided 2 headphone jacks (1 microphone and 1 headphone) instead they have combined them into 1 jack. So you need to buy an adapter, which is easy and cheap. But the quality of the voice input is bad every person I call on Skype or Google complains of the voice quality. So I have had to buy a headphone/microphone unit that is USB, and use up a USB port. I would rather have the traditional 2 jack input for microphone and headset.
Dell allows for system recovery by creating backup media. However, they do not allow you to create backup media on an external drive you can only create it on a flash drive on on blank CDs or DVDs.
If you are tempted to buy this machine through Dell's website, don't. Buy it through Amazon. I made the mistake of going through the Dell website, and they loaded $350 worth of extra services onto my order that I did not know were being added and would have refused if I had known. But they allow you only a few hours to o.k. the order, without showing you the extras unless you specifically request to see them. Order through Amazon.
* So you think the nightmare stop there. Wrong.
Depot shipped back my laptop and said that the issue was at Hard Drive. And more interesting thing is that they do not have hard drive in stock to fix the issue and will send me one in the mail.
* So you trust their diagnose and waiting for hard drive come to solve the issue, wrong.
The hard drive came . But it was blank and bare. Dell does expect you to install per my conversation with them. It requires to open the cover, remove the screw and mounting bracket, put bracket on another one and put back. Well. No OS, Not pre-imaged. After many hours my time to install the OS, Driver, Networking. Voila, Hard drive is not the issue. Problem still there. Wonder how they came up with this root cause
*So you think they will allow to replace with a working one. Wrong
I called customer service and escalated the case to up management. No result. The up escalation team even playing the hard ball and asked me the follow their procedure to have onsite person to fix the touchpad. So escalation team cannot resolve the issue. Push down to customer service again.
*So you think the onsite engineer should fix the issue, right. Wrong.
The engineer came, replaced the touch pad, no work. Replaced the motherboard, , not work.
*So you think the customer service will resolve the issue by replacing this bad one to good one. Wrong
They asked me to ship back again. Can you believe that? Ship back again. You kidding.
Six strike. I did not buy this and ask for a replacement or sue them for wasting my time.
*Finally, after two days internal discussion, they agree to replace this with working refurbished one.
So after 6 strikes, more than 12 hours, 6 fedex shipment between me and Dell. Issue finally resolved. What is really wrong? The issue really is dell customer service team is so far to reach in India. They just follow all the procedures posted on the wall. Every issue has to follow the play book. That is why Dell deeply fail on me. 6 Strikes.
So lessons learned
1: Buy Dell products if you know how to fix it. Or buy dell if you have time to deal with their support Team.
If you answer no to above lesson, then buy apple.
2: If your support rep name is Mandeep, ask for another rep.
3: If you got 14Z with last 4 digits are ZRQ1, ask for replacement before it was mine.
Oh, forget one more thing, do not believe any reviews on Dell's web site. They post only selected reviews and mine was just get filtered out.
Buy Dell Inspiron i14Z-1424BK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black) Now
I bought one of these refurbished. An Expresso black polished body wrapped an i5 processor, 6 GB memory and 640 GB 5400 rpm HDD.Construction:
The aluminum encased body feels sturdy and light weight. There is very tiny flex on the keyboard and palm rests. While I would not label it a fingerprint magnet, some fingerprints are definitely visible and the case will need some periodic wiping. While the overall construction looks very good, the very discerning will definitely note that it does not have the finesse of Macs. But at less than half the price of a Mac, there is no room for grumbling on this count.
Connectivity:
It comes with two USB 3.0 and one mini-display ports to ensure it does not become technologically obsolete in a year or two. It also has the standard HDMI, USB 2.0 and SD card reader ports. The processor is also Widi enabled. It does not have VGA or DVI ports.
Audio/Video:
The display is gorgeous and the audio, while not spectacular, is very good and is loud enough without the headphones. The web camera is also good for video chats.
Keyboard/Touchpad.
The touchpad is smooth and the sensitivity can be configured through the Windows Mobility center. The touchpad buttons though are really hard and clicking on the outer edges of these buttons will give you sore fingers. You have to press them around the middle or inner edge to be kinder to your fingers. The keyboard is good though I felt it could have been a touch softer to type (I have a Lenovo Ideapad where using the keyboard is a real joy).
Wifi:
The wifi is pretty good and I did not have any issues using it.
Battery:
Battery life is very good and I get by 5-6 hours on a charge with medium level of processing.
Performance:
The laptop did not come with much bloatware and the boot up is pretty fast (remember this is 5400 rpm drive). I have some occassional issues with the CapsLock key wherein pressing it removes the focus in text editors. But it is just a minor hindrance.
Conclusion:
This laptop is sturdy, lightweight, and arrayed with the latest ports. Because of a few minor issues (stiff touchpad buttons, capslock key issues and need for occassional cleaning of case to remove fingerprints), I will give it 4 stars instead of 5. (Note that my laptop has the i5 processor. This is a review of the Inspiron 14z N411Z model in general).
Read Best Reviews of Dell Inspiron i14Z-1424BK 14-Inch Laptop (Diamond Black) Here
Just picked up the Dell Inspiron i14Z-1424BK in Diamond Black from BB. Configuration: Intel Core i3-2350 , 4GB DDR3, 500 GB (7200 RPM)Appearance:
I had checked out the model in store so I knew what I was getting into. The Diamond Black color is not 100% black, but definitely closer to black than the brownish espresso black pictured in the Amazon listing. Pretty sleek appearance for a laptop at this price point. Thin profile throughout except for the 3/4" battery bump sticking out from the bottom near the back.
Hardware:
So far so good. Everything booted as expected. I'm transitioning from an older Dell model so the keyboard feels natural. Not as soft or smooth as some of the other models I tried, but that's a very minor nitpick. The touchpad seems responsive and I don't see any of the issues with the click-buttons that another reviewer alluded to. Occasionally the double finger scrolling doesn't pick up on what I'm putting down. If I could change one thing I wish I had my dedicated volume buttons back but there seems to be a trend against that.
Software:
The typical Dell add-ons: Mcafee, Roxio ,etc. I'll be dual booting Linux so bloatware and pushy Windows programs aren't a huge concern for me.
Overall:
I had looked at this model, the HP dm4, and a selection of larger 15-16" models. I'm traveling a good bit so the portability of these 14" models stood out to me. For half the price of some of these "ultrabooks" you can get solid computing power in a compact form. Don't expect a gaming laptop, but for everyday browsing, document editing, and smaller computation tasks this seems like a good fit. I'll update after a few months of use.
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I bought this laptop specifically to run Ubuntu 12.04 and it passes with flying colors...everything works out of the box and well. As for the laptop itself, it's a Dell which means its slightly cheaply made. The trackpad button are really tight and one of the hardrive screws stripped using the correct driver; it was just soft metal and they used locktight on the screw too. I didn't get the illuminated keyboard and do regret it but without it works fine too. first thing I did was max the RAM to 8g and swap out the harddrive for a small SSD which rocks! Windows 7 is gone and good ridden...it sucked from the moment the laptop booted up. I kept it on the original hard-drive so I can sell the laptop later with the original setup on it. all in all good hardware but your not going to game on it. graphics are good but this isn't the laptop for gaming.
Dell Latitude D610 Notebook PC (Off-Lease) - Intel Pentium M 1.86GHz, genuine Windows XP Home, 512M
I bought it to replace anoff-brand model I had that blew up.
I have been very happy with the purchase
though I do recommend getting it with
windows vista because xp is going to become
obsolete. (that's why the xp version is
so much more affordable..)
The shipping was very fast and the product
was used, but looked like it was brand new!
(It came from a company)
Dave
Before I made the order I checked to see that the advertisement specified "Genuine Windows XP". I also checked the CoA when it arrived. When the Microsoft updater offered to run "Genuine Advantage" to check the authenticity I confidently thought "sure, go right ahead."
BEWARE!I wanted to get my feet wet with my first laptop for home use. Not wanting to spend four figures, I decided to take a chance with a refurbished Dell Lattitude D610. I opted for a unit that was upgraded to 1.86 GHZ/1GB/100GB HD, It seemd to be a no-brainer for an extra $25. When the package arrived, I was hesitant to open it. I had pictured some beat up, well used machine. I was in for a big surprise. Aside from a few very superficial scratches on the shell, the machine appeared in great shape. I've been told that these lease machines generally are in good shape. The next few hours were spent testing it with no failures. Everything worked as advertised. The mouse and key board were responsive, no broken pixels on the screen. CD/DVD drive in perfect order and the USB ports (all four)worked fine. The Wifi connect immediatly picked up a few LAN's on my street. I piggy-backed to test that feature, but will pick up a router soon. Battery life was around 3 hours and charge time is minimal. Link-Tronics in Santa Anna did a fine job refurbishing the unit and shipping was very quick (paid extra for priority). All in all a great machine for the money. We'll see how it goes long term...
12/20/2010 update: Still works perfect, no probelms.Tampa laptops is a great company to purchase from. I originally recieved a laptop that had been damaged in transit from Fl to NC, and they were so nice and accomodating on the phone, offering to replace the computer with one that works perfectly. I was highly impressed with the level of service and how promptly they responded, just very friendly and professional. I was originally skeptical about it being used, but I've had no problems whatsoever, it's in fantastic shape and I'm truly happy with it. I'd definitely buy from them again . Okay I'm done gushing now. Thanks guys at Tampa Laptops!
Sabrina C. [in Charlotte] :o)The computer came as described. We were very happy with what we got. It was a gift for my daughter and she loves it. It does everything she needs it to do. A few scratches on the top, but she never noticed. The battery life is longer than the newer laptop that I have. I would certainly order through this company again. We felt like we got a great deal.
HP HP Pavilion g6-1b50us 15.6-inch Notebook PC - Black
First of all, if you're a "hunt and peck" typer, this review is not for you. The hardware and everything for this computer is worth more than the price, and for that I would give it 5 stars. I did a lot of shopping and couldn't find anything that compared to this model in this price range. Other than the keyboard I really do love this laptop.The keyboard, however, is practically useless. I bought this computer to display images while I'm on-location for photo shoots and for when I travel, and when I bought it, I was at home and didn't have any need to do much typing on it. But the first time I tried to log into my Facebook, email, bank acct, etc I kept getting "wrong password" errors over and over. It left me scratching my head. I wanted to blame the computer, but I couldn't think of any logical reason my computer would be denying me access LOL. Eventually, I did the very deliberate "hunt and peck" method to reassure myself that I WAS indeed typing my passwords correctly, and that worked. It wasn't until I actually had to TYPE out an email to someone using the laptop that I noticed immediately what the problem was... the keyboard will not type double characters (like cookie becomes cokie, jello becomes jelo, etc). After that realization I figured out my password problem was the fact that most of my passwords have double letters or digits in them, and because when you type in passwords you only get little dots or stars, I didn't see what was happening. I took the laptop back to the store (I didn't buy it from Amazon) and they switched it with a new one, insisting that it must be broken. They wouldn't let me exchange it for a different model because I didn't keep the box. But the new one did the same thing. Ultimately, I tried 3 of this exact model, and the problem existed in all 3 computers.
I called HP and they said they'd never had any complaints about this computer not typing (which can't be true because I noticed the other reviews on here mention how sticky the keyboard is) and that they could do nothing to help me. They had the nerve to suggest I buy a regular USB keyboard for it, and I was like, "that defeats the point of having a NEW LAPTOP!" I spent a great deal of time online researching this issue, and no matter how many keyboard settings I changed, the problem still persists. It's like the sticky key function is stuck in the ON position, even though it's off.
I learned two important lessons that I would like to pass on: spend plenty of time playing around on a computer in the store before you buy it. Spend time actually typing on it and see how it feels and responds to your typing style. The mouse, too. Also, NEVER, EVER, NEVER throw the box away to anything until after the warranty has expired (or at the very least, the store exchange policy period has expired).
The most frustrating thing was that one day after only having the laptop for 3 weeks, the screen faded to black and couldnt be fixed. I called HP customer support and they said they're aware of this hardware issue (really?!) and I owuld have to send the laptop for repair. They couldnt assure me this issue wouldnt crop back up. Avoid this laptop at all costs. HP won' be able to help you at all if it breaks.
Buy HP HP Pavilion g6-1b50us 15.6-inch Notebook PC - Black Now
OK. I'm going to give the Windows Experience specs first:Processor: 6.2
Memory: 5.9
Graphics (Windows Aero): 3.8
Gaming graphics: 5.2
Primary hardisk: 5.8
Not too shabby. Right now, the only thing I've done on this machine is surf, but compared to my OLDER 32-bit, 1 GIG RAM laptop, it smokes. However, I'm really frustrated on the stupid mouse and a little frustrated with the keyboard. I USED to do a lot of scrolling with one finger on the right side of the mouse pad. NOW I can't even use the "old" click-and-drag feature of the mouse and scroll bar very well. You think you're dragging the scroll bar and it either starts and scrolls nicely, doesn't scroll at all, or scrolls then stops. Using the mouse pad gestures, it's even more inconsistent. I've tried playing with the settings and there may be a slight bit of improvement, but none that really makes a consistent difference. I've tried turning off the gestures, but then I can't scroll AT ALL.
The keyboard: I'll be typing along and I'll notice that SOMETIMES the letters don't show up. I find that I have to hit the backspace key because I'll think, "I know I hit that key, why the heck didn't it show up?" (backspace, backspace, backspace, grrrr) Basically I have to press the keys a bit harder every now and then. Definitely something a bit cludgy about the keyboard. Some people have really complained about the keyboard; I find that there is something amiss, but not as much as others have reported.
Read Best Reviews of HP HP Pavilion g6-1b50us 15.6-inch Notebook PC - Black Here
Search 'HP g6 overheat' and you'll know what I mean. Mine was bought 12/2011 and is now worthless. Started overheating 6 mo. ago. Smells like an iron. Screen goes black when hot (every 10 minutes.) I'm shopping for new one now. I trusted hp brand so did not buy warranty thinking, foolishly, it would last more than a year and a half. No more HP for me. Any laptop with vents on the bottom is a design problem. Gotta go, damn thing is going to burn down the house.Want HP HP Pavilion g6-1b50us 15.6-inch Notebook PC - Black Discount?
except for the not so long battery life on here. only about 3 or 4 hours depending on what you are doing so not so good for school like i was hoping to use it for. other than that in great condition with speedy delivery.
Hp Pavilion Dm3-1044nr /13.3 in Wxga Brightview Led Backlit (1366 X 768) with Webcam~320 Gb Sata 72
I have been using this laptop every day for over a month and have had no problems. I paid $417 including shipping and it's one of the best bargains I've ever had. I'm still getting use to the touch pad because it feels slippery.
Asus - 11.6" Windows 8 Touch-Screen Laptop - Q200E-BSI3T08 - 3rd Gen Intel® CoreTM i3-3217U proces
So my ASUS netbook which I absolutely loved and took everywhere with me died. The latest selection of netbooks didn't excite me so I decided to upgrade to this model. The price is what sold me initially; the touchscreen seemed like a silly thing that I wouldn't use much. But after a day of using this side by side with an older laptop I was restoring, I was convinced. I now find myself touching the screens of all my computers. It's definitely the only way to use Windows 8.I use this for home finance, web surfing, some word processing and a little video, photo and sound editing. The keys are a little small and take some getting used to. I am a touch typist and find the small keys a little annoying. Also the case edges are sharp and since the base is a bit wider than my old netbook It slips around a bit more on my lap. And the built-in battery does concern me; I hope when the time comes that replacing it won't be difficult.
Sound is acceptable I watch Netflix while working in the kitchen and it's loud enough (much better than my netbook). The unit has 3 USB ports, SD slot and HDMI port. I have used this to stream videos to my projector and quality is excellent.
Battery life is long enough for my use; surfing and watching occasional video at home. It's made a couple of plane trips and I've managed enough battery to watch movies. It's so small and thin that I take it everywhere. And the AC adapter is not much larger than my phone charger very convenient.
If I were doing serious typing I might hook up an external keyboard but for what I do it's perfect. Also due to constant touching the screen shows smudges but that's not the fault of the design clean your hands or use a stylus if that bugs you!
The touchpad was very jumpy at first but a Windows update seems to have taken care of that.
I seem to be one of the few people who paid $499 for this at Best Buy (it's been $449 pretty much since Christmas). You won't find a touchscreen system that can come close for the price.
Costumer service in Brazil told me warranty does not work outside USA. Repair is more expensive than a new computer. I'll buy a new one, but NEVER ASUS ANYMORE
Toshiba Portege R700-S1322 13.3" Laptop
One of the worst experience with Amazon and Galactics. The laptop is not working from the day it arrived. Why I have to go through all this if I need a return. If has to be simple at least.
Buy Toshiba Portege R700-S1322 13.3" Laptop Now
Overview: This is a nice little machine for a reasonable price. Thin, lightweight, and full-powered. Build quality is acceptable-better than your standard consumer-grade machine, although not up to the standards of a Thinkpad (a true Thinkpad, not one the watered-down value lines Lenovo has recently introduced), an E6XXX Latitude, or Elitebook. On the other hand, it is (again) thinner and lighter than most business machines, and packs a surprising amount of processing power considering its form factor.Pros:
1. Thin and light-ideal for travel, especially with the small AC adapter.
2. Good battery life. 5 hours is easily achieved with the stock battery with brightness at about 70%, wifi on, and browsing/office app work. This is actually excellent when one takes into account the CPU and physical size of the machine.
3. Docking connector. If you use docks, you'll understand why this is so important. If not, try a dock (a true dock-not a USB aftermarket model) and you will never purchase another work machine that does not have a native docking connection. The Toshiba dock is not cheap, but is full-featured and integrates perfectly, with no hot-plugging issues.
4. Horsepower. Powerful CPU, good enough on the graphics front for business and dual monitors, plenty of RAM support, and the stock HDD is good (throw in an SSD to make the machine really fly).
5. Matte screen. It's not glossy. Enough said. Brightness is good enough for indoors work, but not quite there in the sun.
6. Trackpad off button. Very handy for typing, to prevent random cursor movement and clicks.
7. Fingerprint reader that actually works well.
Cons:
1. Heat and noise. There is no way around this, really. Cram a high-power CPU and an optical drive into a thin machine, and this is the price. Fan revs up really quickly, even under light load, and the constant ramping up and slowing down can be annoying. The machine also gets toasty under load, enough to be a bit uncomfortable.
2. No touchpoint/trackpoint. If I used this machine as an actual laptop most of the time, as opposed to keeping it docked, this would be a deal-breaker. But, if you are not a trackpoint fan, this should not bother you at all.
3. Gaudy chrome accents on the trackpad buttons and hinges. Yes, this is nitpicky, but if accents must be used, at least make them real metal.
Other:
1. As mentioned, build quality is OK. Don't expect this machine to survive abuse like a full-fledged business machine.
2. Built-in camera and mic work perfectly well for videoconferencing, although the native speakers do not get terribly loud.
3. The screen is a typical TN panel, but not horrible. It is usable with decent viewing angles (for a TN) and a serviceable resolution.
4. Not sure how cluttered the machine is on the factory image; I have read reports that it is quite cluttered, so users should be aware that a clean install may be called for.
5. Screen hinge seems quite tight. Again, not Thinkpad heavy-duty, but the screen is very thin and light, so I don't anticipate they will be problematic.
6. Keyboard is island-style and OK. It's a bit difficult to describe-if you press the keys individually, they seem quite stiff and unimpressive. However, in actual use, it is actually quite decent. I would not hate my life if I had to use this keyboard extensively.
7. There is an optical drive. Big plus if you need one, but these days, it's not quite a deal maker or breaker.
Conclusion: No big surprises here. Price is ultimately going to be the deciding factor, unless some of the other features (especially the weight and slim profile) are selling points. In the $1K range, there is pretty stiff competition from the Thinkpad X2XX and Elitebook 2XXX series. The newer version (R800 series) reportedly improves on what I perceive to be the biggest issue with this model-heat (and subsequently noise). The latest version of the i5 (Sandy Bridge) uses a 32nm process for the GPU and almost certainly has some additional power optimizations.
12/21/2011 update
Having used this notebook for a few months, here are some additional observations:
1. The CPU really needs an SSD to stretch its legs. A G2 80GB Intel makes a noticeable difference, and is well-worth the cost. Swapping the drive out is a simple matter, and Intel provides free migration software for easy cloning. This performance boost should not have come as a surprise, but the difference never fails to impress me. I expect slightly longer batter life as well, but have not tested yet.
2. The speakers are seriously weak and lacking. An external speaker is a requirement if using this to share content/give presentations.
3. The palm rest area is a bit too flexible. The mag-alloy is solid enough, but there does not appear to be a rigid underlayer. Picking the system up by the left side causes the fan to compress a bit and results in a slightly disturbing grinding noise.
4. Battery life is quite good, but a spare is highly recommended if you use this for CPU-intensive work. Nonetheless, a full charge will only drain ~45-55% in the course of 2 hours of a media-rich presentation streaming over WebEx.
5. Noise/heat remain weak points. The fan has a very steep ramp-up curve, and this can get quite annoying during meetings. I'd wager that the fan noise alone would be enough to give away the fact that you are watching videos/playing games instead of paying attention. Even at idle, the fan is noisy enough such that the system is never silent. With an SSD, my ThinkPads have been essentially noise-free at equal workloads; the Toshiba is quiet most of the time for emails, light Office app work, etc, but you know it's there.
6. Fingerprint reader works quite well. Much less picky than previous generations, and is actually useful enough to be a viable alternative to inputting passwords with the KB.
7. Keyboard becomes squeaky and annoying over time, even with light use. I amend my previous comment about it-I actually would hate my life if I had to use it exclusively.
Conclusion: Not sure why anyone would be considering this particular model for personal use, but if your company purchased one for you, do whatever it takes to convince your IT department to upgrade you to a good SSD.
Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Portege R700-S1322 13.3" Laptop Here
I'm very happy with this machine. I got tired of lugging my 8 pound multimedia "laptop". It was a fine machine and still in use, but I really needed to downsize the machine to save my back and shoulders. This is a fine PC, good LCD, good keyboard with a nice "feel" to it, decent speed, etc. I'm quite content with the machine and it's a very welcome addition to my road warrior kit. Other reviews complained about how noisy and hot it is. HUH? I have not found either to be an issue.Want Toshiba Portege R700-S1322 13.3" Laptop Discount?
I got a good deal on this product. The merchant told me that "Amazon screwed it up" . I never got this product. Got a mail to write a review abt the product from Amazon!!
Dell Inspiron i15N-1910BK 15-Inch Laptop (Black)
There were no reviews yet when I bought this laptop except for one that I found about 18 pages in on a Google search. I wasn't sure if I should take a chance, but it was a Dell with an HDMI port and it was only $400.00. I ordered it on a Saturday and got it just after 8:00 a.m. Monday morning. I love it so far. It's really fast compared to my 64 MB of ram on my Desktop. There was no software fluff that I needed to remove. Some people complained in reviews of other laptops about unwanted programs loaded in it, and then they had to uninstall all of it. One person said she deleted a little too much and had to put it back in. McAfee is loaded on the laptop, but that's the program that AT&T gives me for free so I was good with that. I've only had the laptop for 2 days so I'll have to do a follow-up review in a few months or so. I can say initially that it appears to be a nice laptop for the money.A follow up note: The battery life appears to be only a couple of hours. That is not a problem for me, but for some people it may be a real concern.
A hint for those who already get McAfee from AT&T, you have to hit "Activate" on the pop-up for the free McAfee trial; otherwise, the pop-up will never go away. I ended up at a McAfee community forum to find that out!
March 30, 2013: I still love this laptop. I use a mouse with it though. It has 3 USB ports, which I have used all of them at once on occasion. I have no regrets with this purchase.
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Initially when I set up this laptop it would drop the wireless connection constantly. I was about to return it to amazon when I decided to contact DELL about this problem. The dell techs scanned the PC and found that the trial version of Mc Afee was the culprit. After deleting the program my laptop began to operate smoothly and fast. The tech also mentioned a security program called "system mechanic" this program constantly scans and repairs any glitches that your computer may incounter. This program cost $129.00 for a three year subscription however I can download it to any computer I own, this is where the sysyem mechanic becomes a bargain as I have 3 computers in my household, and now all of them are covered by this program. So far so good, I will update this review after I have had it for awhile longer.The one thing I would have liked to see would have been an illuminated keyboard, however for the cost of this laptop I feel it was a good buy, and much faster than my dell that has the Vista operating system. Vista has too many issues than I can mention in this review.
Read Best Reviews of Dell Inspiron i15N-1910BK 15-Inch Laptop (Black) Here
Fast and Furious!These are fantastic laptops for the amateur or pro user.
I know a lot about computers and I can tell you that these are the best bargain you will find for the specs. For pro-users, for less than $40.00 you can add ram to make this 8gb. Another reason to buy is because you can register with micro soft and get win8 for $14.99.
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I purchased my Dell Laptop thinking it would be a Great computer,But it has not turned out that way! I wish I had gone back to an Aspire Laptop that I purchased 3yrs ago!!! Its still the Best laptop to buy ASPIRE!!!
HP Compaq 8530P, CORE2 Duo T9600 Cpu, 15.4 Wsxga+ Panel, DVD+/-rw, 320GB Hard Dr
These i7 powerhouses are a bit heavier than some cheaper models...but they are built rugged and reliable. The screen is huge and bright. I have been using one as my primary machine for over a year now (in and out of a docking station), and have yet to have any issues. Highly recommended.
Buy HP Compaq 8530P, CORE2 Duo T9600 Cpu, 15.4 Wsxga+ Panel, DVD+/-rw, 320GB Hard Dr Now
ASUS X54C-ES91 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)
This is fairly basic laptop I use it everyday for school, netflix, etc. It's average, but it manages to stand above similarly priced laptops for a couple of solid reasons. For one, the "IceCool" palm rest is surprisingly convenient. I thought it would get warm after a while, but when I'm typing my hands are always cool and it's nice after writing for a while to be able to experience that coolness. Secondly, it's a very durable laptop. I've accidentally dropped it a few times, and it still looks and works fine. It also has a fairly long battery life; I'm still averaging about 4.5 hours of listening to music and typing before I need to plug it in.My only qualms are that the built-in speakers are fairly weak, but the best remedy to that is to simply plug in your headphones! This laptop is worth the price for a laptop that just gets it done. You won't be playing any graphic video games or anything, but for everything else it manages just fine.
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I bought this laptop computer for an acquittance, in the first two days of usage, she experimented a couple of BSOD (Blue Screen of Death), this happened while shutting down when installing updates, also, when I turned it on the first time, and while plugged in to the wall, the computer itself shut off (My first guess is that this was related to changing the time and date, which triggered a suspended state, but still, weird).I did a memtest+ pass without errors, and also checked the hard drive with the manufacturer's tool, no errors either.
There are dozens of preinstalled applications, half of them by ASUS, I haven't removed them all, as some seen necessary for functions like blocking the touchpad while typing.
I'm a little worried about those issues, shouldn't happen to a new user at all, but besides that, performance is acceptable, it is quiet, and lightweight for its size. I'll update any other issues.
Overall, if there weren't BSOD and spontaneous shutdown issues, this a great machine for its price.
Read Best Reviews of ASUS X54C-ES91 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Here
Was going to only give this 4 stars, but then I realized that this computer does exactly what I expected it to do and for a very good price at that. It is a quick, snappy computer that has been able to handle day to day use for the past month. I have used it for the normal stuff like internet browsing, movie watching, music listening that anybody looking for a budget computer would do. The USB 3.0 is an awesome aspect that has allowed me to use the hdd from my old laptop with this one and use it at great speeds and no problems. The touchpad is nice and big with a good texture. The size of the keyboard is nice with the numpad on the right. And, as advertised, I have not experienced over heating around the touchpad after extended use. The HDMI port is also awesome. The computer also came with minimal bloatware, and after about a half hour with revo uninstaller, I had everything that I didn't want gone for good.The only problem I have with this computer is the laptop speakers are underquality compared to my old laptop, and even when I was using my headphones, the sound was of poor quality. Nothing to lose sleep over though. It would have also been nice to have another USB port, but again, not a huge deal.
In all, if you want a budget laptop for a college student like me, or just a good family laptop that can endure everyday use, look no further. Register the warranty and the accidental damage protection plan and this laptop should last for the long haul.
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Laptop works very well with a good price for dollar. Only complaint is the processor Pentium B960 does not have physical address extension support plus the 64bit addresses are buggy. Only 3G of the 4G expansion of ram is recognized for a total of 5G (of 6G) ram total. Hopefully fixed in kernel, but it may just be an inherent flaw in the hardware.Save 14% Off
ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A-DB71 13.3-Inch Ultrabook
I have had this laptop for about 3 days now. I had been wanting the zenbook since the original UX31E had come out, but held back after the reviews about the keyboard and the touchpad.The new display on the ux31a was an instant sell. Having used nothing but high resolution laptops, i had hung on to my trusty HP 6820p for 4+ years.
The reviews for UX31 are mostly on the mark, but strangely somehow still fail to point the one "true" issue.
Now moving on to something more useful..
1) The display is to die for. I spent an hour with the retina mac pro, while i didn't see both the screens side by side. I'm ecstatic that ASUS is finally pushing laptops to move up from the resolution backsliding going on for the last 5 years. You will not miss the retina display on a mac with this. Half the price is just a bonus.
2) It is _light_.
3) The biggest showstopper is the touchpad out of the box. Yes, i'm referring to the touchpad on ux31, not the older ux31e. Multi touch etc. etc. works well. (have two macs at home for comparison). The thing that just about ruins this little gem is the horrendous behavior of the touchpad when your palm brushes it during typing. There is no way you can really avoid this, and it is impossible to do any typing without the cursor moving and the tap to touch causing irritating behavior. (like prematurely sending an email, closing the email, clicking a background app into focus). How this went past anyone in any QA dept. is beyond me. It's that bad, just typing a 2 line sentence is near impossible. This was entirely preventable with just a bit more diligence by ASUS. This one problem is bad enough to warrant a return if it weren't the fix that later became available.
I upgraded the drivers to the THEN latest on the ux31a page on asus support. They didn't work any better. Update: ASUS has finally put an updated version that addresses the issue much better.
Initially i was concerned that I was out of luck and that this could be a trackpad hardware limitation. Thankfully a bit of investigation digging through the registry in the HKLM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ElanTech revealed a plethora of values that seeemed promising.
Further investigation led to a rather huge thread on this topic on the laptop support forums for the elan trackpads on Samsung laptops. A bit of spelunking revealed an updated driver (10.7.16.1). This one proved to be a winner. Not sure if it was the actual driver update, or the very significantly different configuration settings in the registry that made the difference, but at the end of the day the problem is mitigated nearly completely (and without disabling the trackpad while you are typing).
I think there is still some fine tuning to do with the relatively sensitive trackpad, but am a bit more at ease as I think it's just a matter of tweaking the settings just right. I think the elan folks will get it right with just a bit more time. I wish the control panel utility gave you more tuning options without having to figure it out on a trial and error approach with the registry variables. The newer version samsung is using has an 'advanced' tab which seems to be heading in this direction
This is my first ever review and I am only writing it because I really dig this laptop. I'd hate to have this not succeed due to the egregious trackpad palm detection issue. Asus's strength is clearly not software QA.
A few other observations that I haven't seen mentioned before.
4) The adapter when plugging into socket always seems to spark as it's plugged in. I haven't seen this from any other adapter, so am wondering about the reliability. It also seems to run a bit hot compared the mac one. This is just an observation, not an issue (i had no less than 5 adapters fail with the HP). Update: I was looking for additional adapters so I don't have to keep carrying the one around, they seem to extremely expensive online, ~$120. There are non ASUS brands available all the way down to $15, so will probably try one of those, I wonder what the difference is. I suspect it's to do with the charging logic / led indicator on the OEM one. I thought the charging controller was in the laptop and not the adapter, but not entirely sure about this now.
5) The keyboard is just fine, I saw some posts ranting about ux31 keyboard, and i don't know what they are talking about. It's pretty good, and i type reams.
6) There is bleeding of light at the bottom of the lcd, but it's a non issue and an observation i made only because I read about it on other reviews.
7) The keyboard backlighting is nice to have.. but again, don't think it's as big a deal as it's been made out to be when it was missing in ux31e.
8) The display hinge is just fine, it holds up well. If you suddenly lift it, then there might be a tad amount of sway. I think it's only because this laptop is so thin and light that people apply more g's. (I couldn't do that with my old laptop with both my hands if i wanted to because it was so heavy). It feels pretty sturdy compared to the luddite laptop i am used to.
9) I had tried win 8 for a short period on this laptop, seemed to work about the same. (Reverted to win 7 for work reasons after an hour or so).
10) The battery seems to last 6+ hours with just web browsing / email..
11) The wifi has been working well, no problems so far. The previous HP laptop I had would lose WIFI connection whenever the microwave went on for a minute. This one hasn't exhibited that problem.
12) The USB to Ethernet adapter is unfortunately 10/100, not Gigabit.. and for me it's a big deal. Copying around large VMs is the norm and this limitation is a rather big issue. The limitation seems to be from the PHY ASUS is sourcing from 'asix'? They seem to have a new USB3 to GBE part available, so I'm sure in future models this limitation will be addressed. I wonder why they didn't go with USB 2 to GBE phy as it seems to have been available for a while. It works well, counter intuitively its actually proving to be nicer to use the USB connection than the RJ45 jack.
13) The built in VGA adapter worked great when using a projector. Haven't tried out the HDMI out yet, need to go buy a micro HDMI cable.
14) Headphone out works fine, another reviewer mentioned an issue so tested it just in case.
Rating a 4, due to the trackpad runaround that's now resolved. Folks with trackpad issues should just get the latest version from ASUS or Samsung support site. I prefer the Samsung driver.
The Zenbook UX31A is the first computer I've owned that has everything I want: super light weight, solid build quality, fast performance, beautiful display, decent battery life, high performance SSD and (I am a touch typist) a keyboard with great tactile response. Using the UX31A is like driving a German car: everywhere you look, you notice the level of attention to detail in design, and you just know the designers really cared about the end-user experience and didn't simply set out to meet a specification as cheaply as possible.
Asus may have shot themselves in the foot, though: I'm so satisfied, I may not feel the urge to replace this computer for a long, long time.
What you'll love:
1. The full HD IPS display with matte finish is dreamy. Maybe you think 1920 x 1080 is too high a resolution for a 13" display? It's not! With text set to 125%, text is the "right" size, and the fonts are as smooth as a printed page--I can't see the individual pixels. The IPS makes for a screen that's readable at any angle--a godsend for me when the person in front leans their seat back in coach!
2. The keyboard is much improved from the last version, and has the exact feel of my MacBook (which to me is a good thing). The backlighting on the keyboard is a nice addition as well.
3. Instant on. After opening the lid, the computer is usable in around 1 second. Amazing.
4. The aluminum case is impossibly thin, making it super portable. Everyone who sees this machine can't believe it's a real, full Windows PC.
5. The DC power supply. I'm in love with a DC power supply? If you travel a lot like I do, then you understand. This isn't just a generic $2 item Asus sourced from eBay. It's an impossibly tiny power supply that weighs almost nothing and has an 8 foot cord that will reach from any conference room table all the way to a wall outlet. Yes, it's a small detail, but something I appreciate every time I use it.
6. Build quality. The solid metal case is completely rigid and exudes quality industrial design. A $1,000 product shouldn't feel like you got it in a box of cereal, and this one doesn't! Great job, Asus!
7. Bang & Olufsen audio. Remember when choosing a 13" laptop meant you live with a speaker originally designed for a wristwatch? Those days are over--watching video on this laptop is like watching it on your TV! Audio is loud, clear and has a full range of sound. You'll only use your headphones when you don't want to disturb others.
8. The included fabric envelope to carry the notebook is so good you'll actually use it! It's a heavy fabric envelope that I find superb for taking the notebook on short trips to the coffee shop or to a meeting where I only need to take some notes.
9. Runs Windows 8 (June Preview edition) perfectly. I scratch-loaded Windows 8, and while it takes some patience to get all the Windows 7 drivers and utilities installed on Windows 8, everything works beautifully.
What you may not love as much:
1. There's a downside to making a laptop that's thinner than legacy VGA, Ethernet and HDMI connectors--there's no room for them!! Instead, a Micro-HDMI and Mini-VGA connections are provided along with dongles that adapt to standard sized connectors. For wired Ethernet, a USB-to-Ethernet adapter is provided. Some ultrabooks are specifically made thicker expressly to include legacy connectors. For me, that's a little silly...an ultrabook should be as thin as possible! But if you disagree and don't like the idea of a dongle for making VGA connections, then you may want one of the thicker Ultrabooks instead.
2. The Zenbook doesn't have the longest battery life among all Ultrabooks. Maybe the thin case has a smaller battery than others? You'll probably get 5 hours or so of battery life on continuous usage. If you need another hour or two, there are ultrabooks can last longer. For me, I find that with the instant on enabled, I can go all day between charges...I just shut the lid when I'm not using the computer and open it when using it (similar to using an iPad).
3. The UX31A, like most Ultrabooks, has 4GB RAM soldered to the motherboard, and no way to upgrade RAM. I think this is really a shame, since I'd gladly have paid more to get more RAM as an insurance policy against what I might want to use the machine for in the future. However I find 4GB is enough for what I'm doing day-to-day, and I doubt most people using an Ultrabook for business scenarios will find they need more than 4GB RAM with Windows 8. However if you're editing video, this might not be the right machine for you.
Overall, I think Asus took the best Ultrabook and made it even better. The last version (the "E" model) was, in my mind, the best small Windows notebook on the market...but fell just a little short of the elegant design of the MacBook Air. This new model, however, has moved the bar up insanely high for other Ultrabooks, and in my mind eliminated any reason why a Windows user would switch to a Mac to get superior hardware designs. I have a MacBook Pro...and this is the first time I can honestly say I like a Windows laptop more than a MacBook!
Buy ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A-DB71 13.3-Inch Ultrabook Now
Edit: My second laptop doesn't have any problems. I'm getting about 5 hours of battery life while doing light programming and listening to music on auto-brightness (there's a brightness sensor) which sets the display at about 60 percent brightness indoors.I received this laptop a few hours ago and I'm going to give my first impressions on the device.
Build Quality and Design:
Apart from the different color on the keyboard and lack of hideous script font above the keyboard that was on the original zenbook, the Prime looks about the same. Since this is the 31A, it has a Aluminum Unibody design, and from messing around with various Macbook Air's this device seems to be just as well built. I like the front panel design over the Air but that's down to personal preference.
Accessories:
Being an $1000+ device I would expect a nice amount of goodies, and included is a VGA and Ethernet adapter. There is no micro-HDMI to HDMI adapter, but I find myself using VGA most of the time when giving presentations anyway, so I suppose that's not too bad of a loss. The Air (afaik) does not come with these adapters so that is a small plus. The adapters have their own little pouch to store separately. The combination synthetic leather/canvas sleeve that is included fits fairly snugly, though there is enough space to cram in an adapter if you need to. The AC adapter is about the same size as the Apple counterpart, which is good.
Screen Quality:
Being a UX31A the laptop packs a 1920x1080 Matte IPS panel. In a not-very-scientific test viewing angles (obviously) far exceed that of my desk TN panel, and brightness and contrast all seem to be much better. Granted, I'm comparing to a 23" Hanns LCD I paid $60 for. There was a comment earlier about the screen being dimmer than that of the previous gen, and I haven't tested it outside, but it seems to just fine for my purposes. The matte finish is also a plus. There is a bit of back light bleed on the bottom and right hand sides of the screen, but when watching a sample 1080p movie, it didn't bother me at all. I like the increased resolution on the device and it's a definite step up from traditional 1366x768 panels. Text is sometimes a bit small on the default size in chrome but that is easily remedied.
Performance:
Thankfully, an ADATA XM11 128GB SSD is included. This is a Sandforce drive and I'm getting benchmark scores of 470/150 MB/s RW Sequential, 18/44 MB/s RW 4K random, 113/144 MB/S RW 4k Random 64QD, and access times of .155/.277 ms RW, for a total score of 462 in AS-SSD. This is comparable to my old Vertex 2 in my desktop, so no worries about disk performance here. The system boots boots in about 20 seconds and resumes quickly. It scores a 7.9 WEI in terms of disk performance, though that's not a the best indicator in general.
I haven't done anything intensive with the CPU yet but things seem to be holding up well with little slowdown. I also tried messing around in Diablo III on the integrated HD4000 graphics. I set the game to 1024x768, and everything else to minimum, and from a short session of Act III Inferno, the graphics performed okay, with some stutter and slowdown depending on how many effects were on the screen. If you want to do more than just casual gaming, go for the UX32VD with the GT620M graphics. After playing for a bit the fan kicked on and hot air began coming out of the vent located above the keyboard. The fan was not loud enough to hear over the speakers, which put out a decent amount of volume for the size of the laptop.
Keyboard/Trackpad:
Asus touts the keyboard as being much improved over the previous generation, though I'm not sure if I notice that. I've tried out the original zenbook at stores a few times and this feels similar. I've typed this review on the keyboard without any problems, but it'll be clear to you that you are typing on a scissor-switch laptop keyboard. This also leads to me to the flaw in my item the backlight. Two of the keys in the center refuse to light at all, regardless of the brightness level I set. Hence, it's going back to Amazon for an exchange. Pity. The trackpad is made by Elantech, which may make some people cringe, but for the most part, I haven't had a problem. I like to rest one hand on the left click button and right other to scroll, and there were no glitches I noticed in the last few hours. The only multi-touch feature I really use is two finger scrolling, which works well enough in Chrome. It's not as smooth as OSX is, but I would assume that is because of Windows 7, and will be improved in Windows 8.
If you're trying to decide between this and the Air, it mainly comes down to a few factors OS, Screen Quality, Discrete Graphics, and support. If you have a rabid obsession with one OS over the other your choice should already be clear. If you value screen quality, both are solid choices while the Air has a 1440x900 TN panel, it still looks good, though the viewing angles are likely not as wide, and the resolution obviously lower. Anandtech rates both this laptop and the Air well in screen quality. If you value discrete graphics, only the UX32 line offers you that. If you value support I would go with the Air, as nothing beats being able to go into a store and coming out with a fixed laptop.
If you're set on Windows or want a 1080P IPS Panel, no other ultrabook touches the Zenbook prime right now. Sony has a similarly-specced laptop out, which has a GT640LE and 1600x900 screen, but that is much heavier and thicker. This is an expensive device, no doubt, so if you can give up some screen quality and are okay with slightly slower integrated graphics, you should consider a previous gen ultrabook.
Read Best Reviews of ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A-DB71 13.3-Inch Ultrabook Here
I ordered this Zenbook Prime UX31A-DB51 ultrabook from Amazon and received it promptly and in perfect condition this week. The i5 proc (newer "ivy bridge" model) has plenty of power for my use (and for almost any average use), and for what I'm using this for, I also don't need more than 128GB of storage, so I decided to go with this model instead of the DB72, which has the i7 proc and 256 SSD. I had been waiting for this upgraded Zenbook to come out for a little while, and Amazon was the 1st place I found that had it available, and I have usually had very good experiences purchasing through Amazon, so the negligible difference in price between Amazon's price and the suggested retail price wasn't an issue. So far, this is everything I thought it would be and I absolutely love it. In my opinion, the display is extremely nice, HD 1080p, and the screen is low-glare, so it looks great and is easy on the eyesight. In addition to the newer model proc, the screen is another nice upgrade from the previous Zenbook. The keyboard is perfect and comfortable (and backlit, which the previous Zenbook was lacking). It's very light and portable, fits in my purse with the included envelope-type sleeve, which is a pretty decent cover, at least until I find a sleeve or case I like better.After researching many different models and manufacturers, the only other "ultrabook" that I considered before purchasing the Zenbook Prime was the Macbook Air. I'm not an Apple product hater, but I honestly just prefer a Windows machine, so this ultrabook was the clear winner for me, and I couldn't be happier with it so far. I could go on and on comparing the two machines, and describing the technical specs of this Zenbook Prime, but there are so many technical reviews out there that already do that very well (and I think Apple/Mac vs. PC/Windows thing that I constantly see on forums everywhere is so boring it's ridiculous!!!!), so I'm just giving my initial personal experience and opinions about this product that I purchased in this review. It is awesome! It's lived up to all the critical acclaim and all of my expectations of it so far.
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So this laptop can apparently come with two different types of hard drives (both 256 gig ssds). If you buy this laptop, you will either get the Sandisk U100 or the ADATA MX11. An uninformed consumer probably wouldn't know or care what the difference between these two drives are, but they should!The Sandisk U100 has the worst write speeds of current SSDs. The Zenbook prime I ordered was horribly slow at transferring files because of this. When I took the laptop back to the retailer, I requested an exchange for one with the ADATA MX11 hard drive. I was told by the retailer that there is no way to tell which hard drive you will get without opening the retail packaging. Note that opening the retail packaging renders the product used.
I feel Asus should put the hard drive brand on the outside of the box so that consumers can make a proper informed decision. The ADATA MX11 outperforms the Sandisk U100 in every way and this can be seen in performance tests when comparing the two.
I would not recommend anyone purchase this at this time. At least until Asus is more forthcoming about which SSD they are putting in this Zenbook.
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Toshiba Satellite® L655-S5083 15.6" widescreen Laptop
Purchased in 2010,used since then NO PROBLEMS! I use it for minor ms office works, rhapsody, amazon prime, hulu and (until recently) netflix video watching. Again, no problems at all. Just changed the battery for new one, but that I consider to be like breaks in a car maintain and preserve.I had a poor expereince with Dell before (tried twice) and have had a good experience with Acer (my other pc). Both were inexpensive, both work just fine. Fine in my book is 5/5, god bless toshiba for making my life free of drama and forced calls to India, or other wonderful country of limited interest to me.
Alienware AM14XR2-7222BK 14-Inch Gaming Laptop Black, Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz, 6GB Memory, 500G
I have yet to utilize this laptop to its full capabilities, but I can run Minecraft on its full settings and I don't lag at all. It is a very quick laptop. The speed is quite fast, plenty of storage for gaming and I love it.Save 27% Off
Compaq Presario 2105US Laptop (1.53 GHz Athlon XP 1800+, 512MB RAM, 40GB hard drive)
The laptop looks very nice and well designed. The colot scheme with silver/carbon black is great. The keyboard is well laid out. The fan isn't noisy and mobile Athlon is great!Battery life is in excess of 3 hrs and laptop doesn't get hot either. The LCD is good and has good range of viewing angle. The warranty support from Compaq is better than HP, atlhough both are same companies now. If you want blue scheme instead of silver try the HP ZE4200 series and its same hardware as Compaq.
The prices are low in most local stores than Amazon. Kudos to HP/Compaq for designing such low cost and fully functional laptop.
This notebook feels very comfortable to use. The keyboard takes a little getting used to, but then again most notebook keyboards do. As for as looks, well it looks like an HPaq notebook. Nothing fancy but not terrible. There are plenty of ports to connect peripherals to, and the screen looks great.
There were some disappointing aspects too. The first was the omission of a floppy drive. While this is not a show-stopper, it is a consideration if you are "floppy dependent". The shared video has never been a faavorite of mine, but it handles DVD's with no dropped frames. Last is the slow CD burner. Using an 8x8x24 burner is a definate drawback to me. There is no reason to use such an antiquated drive when a 24x would have only cost a little more.
Overall, this is a great notebook for the price. If you are looking for a total desktop replacement, you will be disappointed. However, as a sometimes mobile work machine, with a little fun in between this one's great.
Buy Compaq Presario 2105US Laptop (1.53 GHz Athlon XP 1800+, 512MB RAM, 40GB hard drive) Now
I bought this laptop off of eBay new in factory sealed box. I got it for about $750, which is a heck of a deal. Opened it up and everything booted fine. In a few seconds, I had it up and running XP Home.This laptop has 512MB DDR (64MB DDR shared video memory) and a 40GB hard drive, which are practically top of the line. 512MB DDR is going to make XP run very fast. This laptop is actually faster than my desktop PC which has a XP 2000+/256MB DDR.
The 14.1" XGA display is gorgeous. It is crisp and very easy on the eyes, plus it has beautiful colors. It may not be a 15", but being smaller, it will save on your battery life.
Performance is awesome, the CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive is sweet, battery life is great, and everything is awesome! This laptop is great for you road warriors, since it gets around 3 hours (for real) of battery life, runs very cool, and is rather compact and thin. Everything works great!
The Athlon XP-M processor is also going to save you battery life and heat over the Pentium 4-M. AMD has PowerNow! technology, which automatically controls the processor speed in relation to its usage. It can adjust the speed from ~500mhz-1.53ghz. Intel's SpeedStep technology can only operate at two speeds: full-conk and too slow. The XP-M also runs much more cooler than the P4-M. If you notice, the P4-M Presario laptops are much thicker than the XP-M ones. This is due to the P4-M's requirement for extra cooling, which means more heat and more noise.
The graphics are ATi IGP320M, which uses the mobility Radeon 7000. It can use up to 128MB DDR shared memory, but 64MB is standard. The graphics are excellent for DX8/DX8.1 gaming (GeForce2 MX performance level), and run every game I have tried so far. The drivers are awesome, and I have not come across any incompatibilities. I even use this laptop for AutoCAD 2004 and 3D Studio Max R5, which are very intensive design programs, and it breezes through all of the applications.
The exterior of the laptop is also pretty hardy. The plastic seems tough enough for heavy use, and everything is built sturdily. This thing is built like a tank, and it looks very, very cool.
Also, Compaq tech support is excellent, and I have not had any trouble contacting them or finding solutions to problems. They are very knowledgeable and professional in their work. Excellent people I may say!
Compaq made an excellent notebook that balances price, mobility, and performance all in one. If you are considering the Compaq Presario 2100 AMD Athlon XP-M laptop, go for it.In the market for a top-of-the-line laptop at a great price? Look no further. Compaq continues setting industry standards in desktops and laptops. I purchased my 2105 about a year ago, and I have loved it ever since. It is super fast, with amazing features such as Windows XP (the best Windows yet), easy-to-understand ports, and an awesome screen. Forget what you know about Pentium processors...AMD Athlon is superb! Whether you're always on-the-go, or you just need a super fast computer for your desk...the Compaq Presario 2105 is for you.
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I've owned this laptop for about a month now, and am very impressed. The extra memory and large hard drive make it a bargain if you hunt around for the best price ...The CD burner isn't fast, but for personal use I don't think it makes a lot of difference. Plays DVDs with no problems whatever. And, by the way, in the box I found a coupon to get a USB floppy drive free after rebate from HPshopping.com (expires in early June). No complaints here!
HP Pavilion DV2-1039WM 12.1-inch Entertainment Laptop (AMD Athlon Neo Processor MV-40 1.6 GHz, 4 GB
I've used this laptop for about 3 months now running the version of Windows Vista that came installed as well as a 64bit version of Ubuntu.First off, it is a fantastic size and is easy to carry around. The primary reason I purchased it was for its small size. For my uses (web browsing some programming and some casual media usage) the size is ideal.
The display is crisp and very bright. Colors look good, if a bit over saturated and contrasty, but it's glossy and reflects badly in a bright room. You can't use it with a window at your back it reflects too much to see.
The keyboard is slightly smaller than normal but I found it relatively easy to type on although the keys don't give great feedback and make fast touch typing difficult.
It came loaded with 64bit Vista Home Premium which took many hours of downloading and installing updates before it was fully up to spec. It also comes with a lot of annoying bundled software that had to be removed. It has a 500mb drive (465mb usable) that allowed plenty of space to also install Linux (Ubuntu). Ubuntu ran acceptably well. The main advantage of running Ubuntu on this machine is that the laptop boots to a usable state in around one minute with Ubuntu instead of the 3.5 minutes it takes to boot Vista and get it to a point where it will allow you to start a program.
The are two primary problems with this laptop. The AMD Neo processor is just slow. 64bit doesn't help it. It's simply a wimp. It feels barely faster than a netbook. The CPU winds up to 100% usage when running most programs and runs its fan speed up with it which is quite loud. The fan never really dies down and makes quite a bit of noise even when the CPU is running under 15% (which is rare). Unless your viewing a web page with no flash the processor is working at over 50% all the time. This results in the second problem which is very poor battery life. I average about 2 hours of battery life which in an ultra-portable laptop is unacceptable to me. I've been looking for an extended battery but the only one available is some non-HP import from China on *bay.
This is supposed to be a media laptop but it can't display media full screen in Vista (either movies displayed from iTunes or NBC, Hulu etc.) without jerky video. Completely unacceptable for a "wm" windows media laptop. Full screen media runs slightly better on this under Linux. Also the speakers are pathetic. Full volume requires a quiet room to hear clearly and they are both located on the left half of the front of the laptop so there is no stereo field. At first I thought the right speaker was dead then I realized the right speaker is located right next to the left speaker... sad.
More little "nits" are they shiny black plastic of the case and palm area is a fingerprint magnet and if you the least bit of a clean freak it will drive you nuts. It also has some little stupid designs silkscreened into the palm area that are embarrassing if your a hetero-male. The trackpad offers a "scrolling" region but it's very flaky and doesn't offer smooth scrolling in either Windows or Linux so it's related to the hardware. Also the trackpad is flush with the top of the laptop and you can't feel when you're moving your finger off the track area. The trackpad buttons are difficult to press and are flush with the top making pressing them with your thumb awkward.
The external CD/DVD drive is a bit kludgy and the cable is so short that it is difficult to orient sometimes if your not seated at a clear desk. I haven't tried using the Lightscribe capability of the drive yet so no comment on that however it's been very picky about the type of DVD's it will successfully write to.
Overall a very poor implementation. I wish I'd bought a netbook. A netbook would have been hundreds cheaper and offered nearly the same computing experience.
Loud Fanthat runs almost 100% of the time it is powered on
Heats up so much that you have to use it on a surface other than your lap ZERO PORTABILITY
Poor media environmentSolid product. A little slow loading up but a good product nonetheless. I was happy with purchase. It was worth the price.
Dell Inspiron i15R-2632sLV 15.6-Inch Laptop (Silver)
First off, this laptop is actually a Dell Inspiron 15r 5520. Dell has no record of the model # i15R-2632sLV, and WILL NOT be able to help you if you refer to this model # (have no idea why Amazon lists it under this name). There are 4 configurations to the 15r 5520, and this is the best one. This information can be found directly from Dell here: This is a very powerful laptop for the price. The Intel Core i7 3612QM handles multi-tasking seamlessly, and the 1TB hard drive is larger than most that you will find in this price range. While it would've been nice to include a 7200 rpm hard drive (like the comparably priced Samsung Series 5 laptop which also has a Core i7), the 5400 rpm drive will not produce as much heat, especially during tasks like gaming. The processor is more than powerful enough to make up for the slower hard drive speed as well. The design is sleek, the keyboard feels very comfortable, and the whole case is a quality build. If you are looking for a fast, powerful laptop at a low price, this is a great choice.
However, note that if you are interested in playing the most current games at high settings (a "hardcore" gamer), this is not the laptop for you: the graphics card is integrated into the CPU, so there is no dedicated graphics card, and thus the graphics card can't be upgraded. It includes Intel HD Graphics 4000 (currently the highest rated Intel HD Graphics set as per the date of this review), which is perfectly able to handle most games, but will be unable to bring you the most current games at the higher-end settings.
Overall I would recommend this laptop to anyone other than intensive PC gamers who crave the razzle-dazzle of fully realized optimal graphics from demanding games (such as Battlefield 3). I can't say enough about the power of the processor for the price. Most comparable to: Samsung Series 5 NP550P5C-A02US, and Sony VAIO E Series SVE1511MFXS.
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This is a great computer, very fast, i can watch netflix, have 10 browsers open, and have downloads going in the background and there is still no lag time for new tasks. The video quality is great, and there is plenty of hard drive space for movies and music. Carefull with the case the sliver scratchs so very easy and shows bad. It comes packed with alot of crappy trial software, tho, it took over an hour to unload all of it.Read Best Reviews of Dell Inspiron i15R-2632sLV 15.6-Inch Laptop (Silver) Here
From very early on, the computer has had trouble with going into sleep mode when it shouldn't; these days it's usually fine, but throws a fit every now and then. And it has seemed kind of slow given the fancy hardware. I called Dell and they tried to deal with it, but required either a steep one time fee or an even steeper service contract. I got the one time fix to deal with the sleep mode problem. The problem went away for the next several days. But a week later it was back again. Perhaps reinstalling windows would fix things, but it's a hassle.Otherwise it's been alright.
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The computer is very fast and very good! Intel Hd 4000 graphics are very good for the price.8 gb of ram, plenty to keep programs running smooth. You can't go wrong with a terabite (1000) Gb hard drive!
Asus® U56E-RBL7 Laptop Computer With 15.6" LED-Backlit Screen & 2nd Gen Intel® CoreTM i5-2410M Pr
The U56e is a sleek, aluminum-body unit with an excellent keyboard. Altogether very solid and attractive. Processor is fast enough and memory is more than enough. Battery is phenomenal.But there is a serious flaw with the Elan touchpad: it's very erratic and unstable. It jerks around, frequently opening apps you didn't intend to, or straying around your document. While I'd done my due diligence research on this unit before purchasing, it wasn't until I'd delved into some geek forums that I discovered others making the same complaint. Several expressed astonishment that ASUS has been letting this flaw pass for years now.
After reporting this problem to ASUS support, they instructed me to reinstall the touchpad and load BIOS default. I did this, but it didn't correct the problem, which I assume is uncorrectable after reading about it in the forums. In the end, I bought an external wireless mouse.
I wish I could recommend ASUS to friends, but this mouse issue is so fundamental, I cannot do so. And it is truly jawdropping that ASUS would let this problem go on for years without intervention.
The mouse pad is okay not as smooth or large as macs, but better than most PC mouse pads. I use it with a wireless mouse they are cheap and very good these days. There's a youtube vid on this laptop and the guy comments that the dvd drive is very sensitive I haven't used mine for burning yet. The speakers are definitely small but I think they had to do this to get the profile so thin. If you use a laptop for music you should probably have separate speakers anyway.I have had this laptop for 3 months and got it at Best Buy out of the box. Really, like the keyboard and the design of it and it has been excellent for my online courses. I have minitap and SAS software on here and it runs very smoothly. I will be adding some photoshop software to this laptop and will be using it just about every day. Would definetly buy this laptop and probably another ASUS in the future.I bought this product about a year ago from a big box store for about $500 during a sale. Overall I have been very happy with the product.
The greatest appeal to this laptop is it's power and it's battery life.
On a full charge this thing can go about five hours. And while you may not have a the best processor or video card, I can still play games like Oblivion and Starcraft II on it at decent quality.
Like others have said, the touch pad is a bit too sensitive. I have often bumped it and unintentionally clicked things.
I have used the laptop heavily for a year and a half now and the battery is beginning to show it's wear. It's only doing about 3 hours on a full charge now.
My only other gripe is cosmetic. Some of the letters too quickly wore off. The left mouse button got worn as well.
Overall I am satisfied with my purchase. The laptop runs quickly, quietly, and coolly.I bought a U56E-BBL5 last year and the motherboard began to fail at about 13 months (unit kept randomly shutting itself off). By 16 months, the motherboard rendered the laptop unusable. ASUS would not honor the repair even though the unit was just a few months out of warranty. In my opinion, the motherboard was not manufactured to be a durable component and spoils the good features of the laptop since it is not usable without an expensive repair (around $400). ASUS had an opportunity to practice good citizenship and take responsibility for the substandard component but chose not to. I have seen a number of identical complaints involving some ASUS motherboards.
Toshiba Satellite S875-S7240 17.3-Inch Laptop (Ice Blue)
Just bought this computer 3 wks ago and i love it. I have had no issues with it. It is light and quiet. Love the sleep n' charge feature. I definitely recommend this computer. Sorry I am not techie enough to get more in depth. Overall good computer for the price.
I used the Toshiba software for Bluetooth connection and it attempts to connect repeatedly even when all of my Bluetooth device are turned off. I disabled the Bluetooth assistant. Aside from software issues, the keyboard is not very responsive. I thump the keys and I still do not always get a response.
Otherwise I am very happy with the computer. It is quick, even with large photo documents or when many windows are open. The battery lasts for a fairly long time despite the large amount of power demands. The screen is clear and the colors are vibrant.
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I really found the Toshiba 17.3" screen a very fast computer. It boots really fast, work very smooth, silence. I recomend it.Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Satellite S875-S7240 17.3-Inch Laptop (Ice Blue) Here
BUY THIS ONE COMPUTER DESKTOP REPLACEMENT.BY THE SIZE OF YOUR SCREEN, AND I HAVE A 17-INCH QOSMIO And so I chose OTHER TOSHIBA, ME FIRST THINGS LIKE THIS TEAM IS YOUR NEW METALLIC BLUE, MIDDLE WEIGHT AND IS VERY FAST, has 3 USB 3.0 PORTS IS I RECOMMEND A FANTASTIC PC. BATTERY LASTS ALMOST 4 HOURS
THIS TEAM WAS SENT TO COLOMBIA SOUTH AMERICA BECAUSE IS TOSHIBA INTERNATIONAL WARRANTY
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Avoid the Toshiba brand. The fan exhaust is on the right-hand side. I use a mouse instead of the touchpad for faster response and ease of use. My wrist is thus positioned just inches from the heat exhaust and it literally burns my wrist. I have a Satellite P875-S7200 17.3 inch model, likely the exact same layout with a slight difference in model number based on retail branding.The AC plug is also on the right-hand side which cuts down on space and makes it awkward and impossible to comfortably use the mouse or desk space, plus the cable dangles in front of me. We have an older Acer laptop and the engineers at Acer are much more intelligent. The only thing Acer put on the right side was the DVD--very, very smart!!! The AC, the heat exhaust, two USB ports, the VGA, card reader, et al. are all in the back! These engineers got straight A's in college in the ergo courses! I looked at a Dell that, although not laid out as smart as the Acer, at least has the exhaust on the left side.
Unless you live in the Arctic and need some heat or unless you love pain and discomfort, or unless you are left-handed, or unless you want to scald your wrist so you can sue the deep pockets of Toshiba, avoid this Toshiba as well as avoid any laptop that does not put most of the ports in the back, especially the heat exhaust and AC plug. Please note .... most laptops crowd the USB ports right next to each other. Some devices are so wide that plugging in one USB makes the other USB unusable. I have that problem with a card reader. Look for ports on both sides or on the back and one side. The designers are too dumb to put the USB ports at least 2-3 inches from each other. If anybody is debating going with a desktop or laptop, go with the desktop since laptops always will run hotter, thus shortening the life. Desktops have three cooling fans (one game machine has six) and desktops have plenty of internal space for air circulation. Using this Toshiba has convinced me that laptops can be a very bad deal, and a real "pain"--literally! I have to leave now to go put an icepack on my right wrist.