Review of ASUS B43S-XH51 (14.1-Inch Screen) Laptop

Customer Ratings:

I had been looking for a medium priced laptop that also had lots of features. Being patient, I knew eventually I would find what I wanted for the right price. I located this Asus B43S-XH51 laptop on Amazon by accident. I was looking through the ASUS website and saw this Business laptop that was made extremely well and offered everything I wanted and more. The price was a really good deal. Then I noticed their website mentioned Amazon was one of the retailers offering this laptop, so I clicked on it.

I like ASUS products because I have owned several of their products, including two Netbooks that have served me very well. This system came equipped with

a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5-2520M, 4 GB DIMM (I also purchased 8gb upgrade separately) 500 GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive (I wanted a 256gb SSD, but couldn't beat this price), a 14.1-Inch Screen (which is the perfect size for traveling) and Windows 7 Professional (which I have on my Home PC and my wife's Laptop, so I am completely familiar and happy with Win 7 Pro. This system fit my need perfectly.

Once I received it, I fell in love with this laptop. Its very attractive, super well designed and constructed and operates flawlessly. The screen has several adjustments and is very clear and bright. Battery life is typical for a laptop, about 2.5 3 hours with continuous use. I thought I would look for a bigger battery, but when using this in my travels, I seldom use it where there is no outlets and when I do, I have never totally exhausted the battery. Its not the lightest laptop out there, but I prefer heavy constructed aluminum case and the very durable overall construction of this laptop over saving weight. What's an extra pound anyway, its not like you're going jogging while carrying it anyway.

I give this laptop 5-stars and with my history using ASUS products, I fully expect trouble free years of use from it also. And I want to add that the battery comes with a full 3-year warranty.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Bought for my wife's telework this because I have had great reliability and performance with ASUS products before--router, netbook, desktop mother boards, etc. We bought the business laptop because we thought it would be more reliable and rugged. We have had to send to California ($20 each time for shipping, and minimum two weeks) for service twice within the first three months as the network adapter failed within a few day of use. I finally just bought a $20 USB network adapter. Will not buy ASUS again, which is disappointing! Otherwise, a great laptop.

Best Deals for ASUS B43S-XH51 (14.1-Inch Screen) Laptop

I purchased this laptop as a birthday gift for a college software major. it is outstanding! Very fast very durable and the person who received it love the laptop. I've always like ASUS products and I will continue to purchase them. Additionally with the second day shipping with my Amazon prime I received it fast.

Honest reviews on ASUS B43S-XH51 (14.1-Inch Screen) Laptop

I don't like this computer because doesnot have good internet connection when is on battery, yo can not use this laptop on battery for searching the web has to be conected to power suply, I most of the time use laptop on battery because in the place I live we don't have alway power, so to me this computer is useless. I am trying to return it but there is no answere from the seller just from Amazon hope to solve this problem soon so I can get different laptop. the another thing in baterry saving also does not have internet signal. minor dislikes: speaker sound quality is poor, and the fun is noise too, I never had computer like that loud is anoying, battry last 3.5 hours.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS B43S-XH51 (14.1-Inch Screen) Laptop

It's just new model but it good one. It light weight. It have one 4GB memory so I can easy add another 4GB memory. It's very nice outside.

Review of Sony VAIO VGN-CS215J/Q 14.1-Inch Laptop - Black

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $949.99
Sale Price: $597.97
Today's Bonus: 37% Off

First off let me say I have had a inspiron 8600 Dell for at least 8yrs and its still alive and kicking and still has all my life's files on it (pics, movies, word docs, music etc..) all within a 60gb harddrive. I did however run into a system problem with the cpu beeping and shutting down the computer a couple times which lead me to research into a new laptop.

Now the review. It came down to (after months of research on Core 2 Duo's) the Sony Vaio (which the GF wanted for the fact that it came in white), and my pick again after research the Toshiba Satellite special edition which when compared to the Vaio only differs with the graphics card and bluetooth.

I opted for the Sony Vaio (which by the way is cheaper at your local...Fill in the blank major electronic store). I will say its partly due to the GF's white preference, but don't stop reading here and think its all due to that i did want good, no great specs and not want to buy another computer for at least another 5yrs.

I read many mixed reviews, and i personally got nervous. I wanted a great computer and always have been an XP person. So vista and only having a Dell made this a big purchase. Well i couldn't be happier. The computer is fast as hell, especially through Ethernet (haven't had the time yet to go get a N wireless router which i am excited about) and Vista is surprisingly fun to use. Searching for files etc. is really the only difference I have encountered. I love the 3D window scroll, and I love the new Windows Media experience with MSN live everything (TV, Music, Movies).

People have spoke about bloatware, I don't think there was alot on here to be honest. I am currently using Vaio care, and windows live one (for virus protection). I am also using the preview version of office 2007. Other than that i don't see much on here that's a problem or runs the computer slower. I have disabled the updates after i did all of them so that helps too. The battery isn't bad. On the Vaio power scheme i have it set to balanced and it lasts around 2hrs and 11mins. You can however set the power to max batter which helps it extend to 3hrs, or you can set it to max performance which speeds the computer itself up to max tasks, and windows being opened. I've had at least 10 windows up before and no lag what so ever using balanced power.

The webcam is really cool and makes me laugh at the Mac users who paid $12+ for basically the same computer. The software included can do all kinds of fun things with your image as well as let you record videos.

The keyboard is slick and very easy to type. Easier than my Dell which i find was alot more clacky than this. The touch pad is generic and the touch media controls well i haven't had much use for them but as i have played around with them although cool and different can be sensitive especially the volume (i use the icon to change the volume). The speakers are good, sometimes programs made for dolby make them sound incredible while other at times sound low (it might have to do with the program and dolby compatibility.)

Overall I am very please, everything that i need to do (internet, work with office docs, and pics & music) it does very well. There are some features i have yet to explore but this is a very solid computer and worth the money. Don't waste your time with those watered down netbooks or low priced asus computers with no specs to them. Get a laptop that has what you need in it and more, it will save you the trouble later on.

I gave this a 4 instead of a 5 because of the lower end graphics card (which hasn't been a problem just wish for future things it had the better card) and lack of HDMI (has vga instead). Other than that its a solid notebook that makes a great replacement to my old Dell.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I spent MONTHS researching HP, Dell, Macs, etc. trying to find the perfect laptop. I am heading to college in the fall and really need something easy to use, but also advanced enough that it has all the features I will be needing. I heard negative comments for each of those brands, ranging from horrifically loud fan to a glare that prevents outdoor use to way to pricey for the product, respectively. Consequently, I had NO idea what to do. Then someone suggested looking into Sony and THANK GOD I DID!!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS LAPTOP!! It's a perfect size, red is the perfect color (I had my doubts about it being too red, but it really is gorgeous), it works fantastically, the keyboard flows so well, it's fast, it's efficient, it was relatively cheap compared to others...it's perfect!!! Overall I would suggest this product to anyone!!!

Best Deals for Sony VAIO VGN-CS215J/Q 14.1-Inch Laptop - Black

Made purchase back in February 2009 and very much liking this little Sony, so far. This has fast processing with the 64 Bit T6400 Duo Core 2, 4 GB RAM, and better than average graphics for on board Intel graphics. I'm not a gamer, so can't say in that regard, but for news clips, movies, music video, and MLB live/real-time feed, the graphics provide a good TV quality images on cable ISP. The included useful Sony software makes the purchase all the more attractive. I installed MS Office Small Business 2007 with no problems. A nice machine that has proven to be all I wanted for a travel computer. Would definitely recommend.

Honest reviews on Sony VAIO VGN-CS215J/Q 14.1-Inch Laptop - Black

this one's a great laptop and was bought after much deliberation and research. let me put this in one word "Great". i have had this laptop for a month now and its been performing awesome.

Looksit looks pretty (for people who love pink this is a god send)

Sleek and fast no wonder cuz it has a 4 GB RAM hence at 824 this is a bargain (when i bought it this was around 950 ).i have always worked on XP so the new Vista takes a little time getting used to. but its good and different. the laptop on its own is amazingly fast and the keyboard is fun to work with. it has increased my typing speed :)

will keep you guys posted on how well its functioning after another month or so of use.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO VGN-CS215J/Q 14.1-Inch Laptop - Black

I bought this computer in August for college..initially, I loved it. The appearance is perfect; however, the quality is poor. Approximately two months after purchasing, my screen would randomly turn black and my computer wouldn't turn back on. After speaking with customer service several times, we finally fixed this problem. Recently, I took my laptop back to the Geek Squad at Best Buy to tell them about the terribly loud noises that it makes. They kept my laptop for a week, then said that they heard the "jet engine sound" it was making, but that it was normal. I'm sorry, but if my roommate can hear my computer roaring from across the room then it shouldn't be normal. The noises are incredibly annoying and I find it hard to concentrate on what I'm doing...also, I have to restart often. I definitely would not recommend this computer. I have had it for 7 months, and have had problems for the past 5.

Lenovo Thinkpad X201 Laptop I7-620M(2.66GHZ/4MBL3) / 4GB menory Review

Customer Ratings:

This is a great, ultra portable laptop! It's definitely all performance with none of the frills of most other laptops (unless you indulge in a fingerprint scanner). Okay, sure, it doesn't have the best graphics card, but who honestly looked at this and thought, "gaming computer!". It's powerful, reliable, and great for business or for people who like to work when they travel. Plus all of the intense lenovo recovery ware makes you feel safe in the event that it DOES mess up on you. As long as you can turn the computer on, you can get all of your files onto an external hard drive and easily restore the computer to an earlier state-without ever having to log into windows. As a student, I appreciated the ease with which I could travel with this laptop, as well as its speed and processing capability.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I loved this at first -i thought, 2.6Ghz i7, 4gb memory, 320gb hard drive, like 12hrs of battery life with 9-cell li-ion, beautiful ibm keyboard, 3lbs ultraportable and rugged, for less than $1000. "omg i love life."

Unfortunately there are some serious shortcomings with this laptop, as follows:

unstable, weak keyboard: peeling off the keys to clean makes it impossible to reattach the keys, unlike in previous ibm thinkpads which are ultra rugged. they really cut corners on the quality. even popping off and replacing one letter keys has caused that key to be unreliable ever since; on fast typing it doesn't fire correctly. what's the point of a blazing hot i7 when, when you're typing you have to go back to correct 'coectly'? because i'm afraid to touch the keyboard now, it's gathering dust in the corners and is hard to clean.

rapidly degrading battery. maybe 6hrs instead of the advertised amount.

whenever i'm running on battery, the screen inexplicably whites out (extremely high contrast to an almost unreadable state) for 30 seconds at a time, every half hour or so.

wireless card not very good: everytime i take the computer from standby, it shuts off; it doesn't interface well with access points; it blinks out sometimes -the drivers are no good at all

the latch connecting the battery to the computer is defective; when you drag the computer forward on a surface, it disconnects and the power cuts out, making you lose all your work

the keyboard is the biggest deal for me, but all these other things made me feel like lenovo threw out all the quality and ruggedness that made ibm thinkpads great. i loved that old keyboard and now it's just not the same. tl;dr next time, i'm getting an overpriced macbook

still 3 stars for great processor, ram, and price. i'm not afraid of firing up programs and running multiple browser windows, stuff i couldn't do on my old computer. too bad the KEYBOARD doesn't wok (i mean work).

Best Deals for Lenovo Thinkpad X201 Laptop I7-620M(2.66GHZ/4MBL3) / 4GB menory

This product is not at all like what was described, I had to return it. The core was wrong the serial numbers did not match up. In addition I got the wrong product late, and not just a day late try 1/2 a week late. Furthermore, I still did not get what I paid for with expedited shipping and waiting over a month.

Review of Acer Aspire V5-571P-6831 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop (Silky Silver)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $829.99
Sale Price: $619.00
Today's Bonus: 25% Off

First, let's get the WIFI disconnection problems out of the way. No promises, but this is what worked for me and many others:

1) Update the WIFI driver to the latest one. Go to us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/drivers to get it. As of this writing, the latest driver is version 10.0.0.225. Install the driver and reboot.

2) Then, on your computer, open Network and Sharing > Change Adapter Settings > **WIFI Adapter Properties** > Configure > Power Management > UNcheck **allow the computer to turn off this device to save power** See? You want to stop the PC from turning off your WIFI to "save power."

3) Then go to your Battery Settings.....

Click Battery icon > More Power Options > Power Saving / Balanced / High performance > Change Plan Settings > Change Advanced Power Settings > **Wireless Adaptor Settings** > Power Saving Mode > on Battery > Change to low or medium power saving (Medium works for most people. I chose Low). Reboot one more time. Done.

--------------------------

Now the review. I'll update this later if I encounter problems.

Pros:

* Optical/DVD drive. DVD drives are growing increasingly rare in the "budget" category. Maybe you don't want/need a dvd/cd drive. I do. I think the closest rival to this laptop is probably the HP Envy Touch, and it doesn't have an optical drive.

* i5 Processor. This is middle of the road. Not as slow as the i3, not as great at the i7. But the i5 does its job well. And yes, you can game on this, IF you adjust your game's Resolution and Details to Minimum, bringing the fps down. It still renders the play smoothly, example world of warcraft, sims.

* Graphics card / Memory. This comes with the Intel HD Graphics 4000 card (update the 4000 card driver when you get this laptop!) and 128MB of dedicated system memory. Yes, I would definitely prefer an nVidia and more Memory. But, for the money, it can still juggle multiple programs being open at the same time, some CPU intensive. For example, if you're playing a game, you definitely should close all other programs first to free up that Memory. However, let's say your editing videos; in that case, you can manage to have your editing software open as well as other programs and truck along just fine.

* More USB ports, including 3.0, and dongles (HDMI/VGA/Ethernet, packaged separately) than I've seen in most laptops under $600.

* HD webcam.

* HD space. This is 750gb. Some other V5's offer 500gb, yet cost more.

Cons:

* Battery life. 4 cell is far from stellar. The description says "5 Hours," but don't count on it, unless you're an extremely light user with minimal programs running. With heavy use, it's more like 3.5 hours. I think you could probably find a 6 or 9 cell for this and it would increase your time to 6-7 hours, but I haven't looked for one yet.

* Resolution. 1366 x 768 max, is not great, at all.. However, the only time I can really see the effect of that low resolution is when I'm pinching to zoom in the browser, it can look somewhat pixelated. However, the desktop and programs UI look great, as do videos and everything else.

Ambivalent about:

Windows 8. I miss the Windows 7 interface sometimes, because the familiarity of the Start button. I use Stardock Start8, which gives you the option of using the Windows 7 or Windows 8 interface, both.

Overall:

I'd recommend this for anyone who wants bang for their buck.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I took a gamble on this laptop because it seemed that most reviews on any version of this laptop comments on broken wifi.

The reason I took the gamble was thanks to another review that stated how to fix the wifi issue, but luckily when I received my Acer Aspire it worked fantastically out of the box.

The first time you power it on it takes awhile to setup the files, but that's to be expected.

Once the initial setup is finished everything is good to go. Wifi works fantastic. I had absolutely no issues with it.

The touchscreen is awesome and I truly had no idea how much I would enjoy it.

The backlit keyboard is fantastic.

This is not a gaming computer! Don't go in thinking all your supposed game should work. Just a disclaimer.

The only two issues I've had are:

1. The battery isn't as nice as I would like. I probably get 3 hours of heavy use. I still haven't looked into an extended battery.

2. About once a week you should completely restart the laptop to free up all your volatile memory.

Overall, I completely love this laptop. I'm on it right now typing this review. It actually works so great that, even though it's 3 months old, I still haven't transferred even half of my files over because it's just so great out of the box.

Best Deals for Acer Aspire V5-571P-6831 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop (Silky Silver)

Set up, performance, and yes WiFi all work flawlessly out of box without any driver updates. I'm not sure why some are claiming major WiFi issues, but I have had none. For the price, I don't think you can beat its performance. I also downloaded Microsoft Office 2013 Professional and all is good. Again, it to works flawlessly. I have been a Dell and HP fan in the past but it seems their build quality has dropped for their lower end models while Acer is trying to grab some market share and it shows in the quality build of this model again not sure why some are complaining here either my daughter compared it to Apples $1600 laptop, in build quality. I don't typically write many reviews but I'm so impressed with this purchase, and almost didn't buy it because of the somewhat negative reviews. I just don't seem to have any of the problems others have claimed. Good luck with your decision.

Honest reviews on Acer Aspire V5-571P-6831 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop (Silky Silver)

The product largely does what it's expected to do: CPU is fast, integrated graphic chip is good for non-gaming applications, and touch-enabled screen goes well with Windows 8 Metro interface. Out of the box, wifi indeed is not stable (obvious compared with other devices connected to the same network: changing to "limited" connection and then coming back after some time). Installing the latest driver from Acer's support website has solved the wifi problem, but the bluetooth no longer works. Since I use wifi all the time while seldom connecting to a bluetooth device, it seems to be worthwhile trade-off for now. Hopefully Acer can introduce a patch that can make both wifi and bluetooth reliable.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer Aspire V5-571P-6831 15.6-Inch Touchscreen Laptop (Silky Silver)

This machine is a beast for the money. Loads of RAM and spacious hard drive, laser-quick I5 Ivy Bridge (new technology) processor, backlit keyboard, touch screen, and much, much more. Incredibly slim and sleek-looking, and easy setup out of the box.

Like some other users, I had an issue with Wi-Fi drops out of the box, but a quick update of my Wi-Fi driver completely cured this issue. I've had the machine for over a month, and have had zero other functionality issues.

If you're looking for a monster of a budget laptop, I've done all the research for you. This is your baby...

Reviews of Toshiba Satellite C655S5542 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

Customer Ratings:

I've never owned a laptop, so I had my husband do a little research and he saw this as the perfect fit for me. He was right! One of my favorite features, because I am a teacher, and we submit grades online, is the number keypad. It's so much easier to use than the numbers at the top of the keyboard. The screen is a great size and the keyboard is easy to manipulate. I am very pleased with my first laptop.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

The laptop has been great for back and forth to class. I use it mainly for school. It's easy to write papers and do homework on. It also keeps up great with the web surfing I do on it.

Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite C655S5542 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

I want to end off on a positive note so the problems with it are.

1. No webcam

2. annoying toshiba messages pop up all the time

3.It really wants you to have a default browser and assumes if you open up another you want to switch internet browsers.

4. Toshiba seems to have partnered with some computer security company you have to pay for cause it lies and says your computers at risk when the FREE security says everything is fine.

5. without opening more than one browser you can't open more than one window at a time.

6. short battery life

Those were really my only problems with the computer after owning it nearly two years already. However the number of usb ports are adequate,the ram space is nice, it never freezes and has a nice display and sound. Good job Toshiba!

Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite C655S5542 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

My main concern is that the microphone is useless. I have it set on the highest volume and still my Skype calls are poor, recipients can hardly hear me. I have checked online for possible resolutions but to no avail, many consumers seem to have issues also. I guess I'll need to buy a microphone.

The touch pad is hard to find by touch, it just blends in to the casing, so I placed a raised sticker just to the right and this solved the issue for me.

I like that the mouse left/right are proper buttons, that click properly. Many laptops I looked at were not, they were just touch pads, and I found it hard to get them to work correctly.

My previous laptops have been HP, and the wireless configuration for my HP printer was easier on this Toshiba than on any of my HP laptops ... go figure :-)

I like the computer, but the microphone issue lowers my overall satisfaction with it.

And a heads up, the SD Memory Card slot is UNDER the front of the laptop, not easy to find.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba Satellite C655S5542 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

Do not buy Toshiba. Screen just all of a sudden cracked. Bought from Best Buy and they refused to even look at it because they said Toshiba was the only company that would not accept them sending it. Toshiba wanted to deal directly with the customer. Toshiba won't replace or fix even though it was within warranty. Spent a LOT of time on the phone trying to get them to fix my computer and they said the warranty does not cover a cracked screen no matter what. Horrible computer, even worse customer service.

Discount Toshiba C675D-S7109 17.3" Satellite Laptop 1.5" thin, Webcam

Customer Ratings:

My husband, who is very computer knowledgeable, and I really like this laptop for several reasons. The touch pad is not so sensitive that it moves my cursor while I type, The speed is reasonable and several other reasons. The only reason I did not give this laptop a 5 star is rating is that the power jack has a very loose fit and does not stay connected to the laptop so I am continuously pushing it in.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Great value, nice screen, good for daily use.

This is the lowest price 17.3" laptop. Very very affordable, and well build, have almost everything I need.

I also bought a 60GB SSD for $50, and installed in this laptop. And this laptop runs like a rocket.

Best Deals for Toshiba C675D-S7109 17.3" Satellite Laptop 1.5" thin, Webcam

However after playing with the computer for 2 weeks i later discovered that the computer kept giving me a warning notification saying: THIS COMPUTER DOES NOT HAVE A GENUINE COPY OF WINDOWS 7 INSTALLED" and another notification advised me that "YOU MAY BE A VICTIM OF SOFTWARE FRAUD".

Honest reviews on Toshiba C675D-S7109 17.3" Satellite Laptop 1.5" thin, Webcam

I received a brand new DEFECTIVE laptop. I bought this laptop (not through Amazon) for my very un-techy aunt, so when I received it I unpacked it to create an account for her and get some software installed/removed before turning it over to her. At the screen where you create an account name is where I realized what a POS this computer was. The keyboard was completely defective...most of the keys (at least 90% of the keys) did nothing. There were keys that did respond though...the backspace key inserted a "k", the "t" key inserted a "j", the "d" key inserted a semi-colon. None of the arrow keys worked. None of the number pad keys worked. The enter key did not work. I could not do anything with this laptop.

How this laptop got through quality control reflects on the the Toshiba brand, and based on this I will never buy a Toshiba anything again and will give that word of caution to all my friends and family.

ASUS U56E-EBL8 Laptop Review

Customer Ratings:

It took me a long time to decide which laptop to buy, I probably looked at more than a hundred models by different companies, around this price range of 500-700$, but finally, about 3 months ago, I decided to buy this one, after many people who own Asus laptops told me that they are simply great. What can I say, they were right. This laptop is everything I expected and more. Truly lightning fast, everything works fluently. The battery is amazing, lasts for around 7 hours. The screen is crispy clear and vibrant with colors, watching movies on it is awesome. The keyboard is great and there is also a very comfortable pad for the hands, I guess that's one of the pros of buying a 15 inch screen. The only con I can find is that it's a pretty large (not heavy though) piece to put inside a bag if you're a student like I am and want to take it with you. Anyway, this one rocks, go for it.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I spent a lot of time researching my next laptop PC purchase. I was predisposed to ASUS, but looking at other brands too. I found this model because it best fit my requirements. I could not find any info or customer reviews. I wanted a PC with an i5 quad-core processor, with more than 4GB RAM, with more than 500GB HDD, with a large screen, and with a DVD/CD drive, plus all of the expected ports. This is what I found, and even in the absence of specific reviews and info, ultimately I took the plunge based on the general reputation of ASUS ...

* As with everything I purchase from Amazon (Prime), it arrived when expected and sufficiently packaged

* OOB experience was simple and perfect

* Powered-up, and ran great from the start

* My previous PC is a 7 year-old Celeron based unit ... WOW what a difference a quad-core i5 CPU with 8GB RAM makes

* Add the 8 GB of RAM, even though a portion is shared for video RAM, and the system is very fast and responsive

* The HDD is quite large and fast enough for Office Apps and Web Apps and Web browsing

* Though one downside (not an knock against ASUS) is the large amount of HDD space consumed by preloaded MS Office 2010; though I suppose it was advantageous to have that since I did purchase a copy of MS Office

* Build quality is quite good; screen is excellent; keyboard & trackpad are all more than adequate

* Finally I have a PC with sleep and wakeup that not only work consistently & reliably, but FAST too!

* I haven't fully tested the batteries, however it does seem battery life tracks what is spec'd

* Size & Weight ... I wanted a large screen, and the unit is therefore wide (again, my choice); however what is impressive is how thin and light it is

* It also runs cool ... I have never felt any heat

* It also runs very quiet, even if it has to use its fan

Summary -

I am thoroughly pleased with this PC and its performance and price point. If the specs for this laptop PC meet your requirements, it's a great choice.

Best Deals for ASUS U56E-EBL8 Laptop

I was previously a diehard Dell owner (something about which I am now ashamed). This product arrived on time and shipped quickly. It was packaged pretty well. The laptop looks expensive, but was probably the least expensive one I've owned...and it works better than my previous $2,300 laptop. It never crashes, never freezes, never erases my files, etc. The hardware works fine. It's very versatile software-wise. I highly recommend it.

Honest reviews on ASUS U56E-EBL8 Laptop

I bought this laptop 9 months ago for school and I am pleased. The one knock I have is the extremely annoying ASUS firmware... Updates that never work, downloads that don't work,etc. as for performance and battery life I am very pleased. ASUS claims 10 hours of battery life..... Well if you run on power mode and only type then possibly.... However, for average computing you're looking at 5.5-6 hours of battery life tops. Not a bad laptop at all, but for the same price range, I'd go Fujitsu Lifebook if I had the choice again.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS U56E-EBL8 Laptop

I ran into similar problems as another reviewer my hard drive completely failed 1 1/2 weeks after the warranty ended (I think they design products this way, I swear). I took the hard drive out and attempted to access it via an external enclosure on my desktop, and it won't even recognize it. I ordered and installed a new hard drive thinking I could reinstall Windows and cut my losses. Go back to original package...and no windows disk. But how could that be? I called them up and got this gem of a response: "Did you create a backup recovery disk when you received your laptop?" Me: "No" Them: "Well, you had the opportunity to create as many backup disks as you wanted so it's not our fault if you didn't do that."

They then directed me to asus product page where I can order one for the tidy sum of $50.

$50!? You can get a blank DVD for a buck. It's highway robbery. I can get an entirely new copy of windows 8 for $20 more.

Anyway, I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because it was a nice computer before it crashed.

Pros:

Battery Life

Mousepad love the two finger swipe, pinch in/out like a Mac

Speed Boots up quickly, around 15-20 seconds

Cons:

Speakers are worthless. I mean totally worthless. Full volume 2 feet away on the table in a quiet room and you can't hear a thing. God forbid you have a fan running in the background

..and speaking of fans, the one in the laptop gets a little loud sometimes...making it even harder to hear the speakers

Discount HP ProBook 6570b C6Z48UT 15.6' LED Notebook - Intel - Core i5

Customer Ratings:

I am so glad I finally decided to buy an HP laptop. It's great laptop that I can use for work and also for my personal use. It's so simple to use. I love this computer!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Cheap Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T (Tablet Only)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $649.99
Sale Price: $489.95
Today's Bonus: 25% Off

I bought this because I was looking for thin/light tablet to replace my current ipad/laptop combo. I needed a tablet with full Windows 8 so that I could run older programs and games. Besides the standard review, I will be updating this post with games that I find are playable on this Atom (Clover Trail) powered tablet.

Playable games so far:

Torchlight 1

Battle for Middle Earth 2

Farcry 1

SNES Emulator: Using my iPhone as an SNES Controller.

Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Playstation Emulator: Played a bit of FFVII, takes a lot of tweaking, but I got it to run smooth and look good. I haven't gotten the iPhone gamepad working with the emulator yet.

Unplayable:

World of Warcraft

Diablo III

Basically, any old strategy, puzzle, adventure game should work. Current generation games will need the i5 I think. I'll be trying more games on the Playstation 1 Emulator soon.

Windows 8:

When I first saw videos of windows 8 in action, I felt it was going to be Vista 2.0. After actually using it on a tablet, I feel it is the best OS for tablet computing. Switching between open programs, quickly seeing what is open, and having multiple programs up on the display at the same time is very easy to do. Some of these features are either difficult to do, or not possible on other mobile OS's. Powering on is very quick, even when the tablet is powered off completely. There is not much different between the iPad and Win8 in power-on times from a cold boot. For security, Windows 8 lets you login with a Windows Live ID, which syncs your settings across you're windows 8 devices (Backgrounds, passwords, etc). You can choose to use a standard password, or use a number (Pin) code (which is what I prefer for speed), or a picture login (you touch/swipe parts of the login picture and that is your password).

The Start screen is filled with active tiles (as apposed to dead icons like the ipad) that cycle through relevant information (Email/News/Weather/etc.) without having to actually open those programs. Time/Date/Battery/Wifi info can be brought up at any time by swiping from the right side of the screen. I used to hate having to power-cycle my ipads display just to get the time/date. Start screen tiles can be arranged in groups to your liking. You can swipe from the left side of the screen to cycle through open programs, or see a list. You can grab any open program and either slide it to your main window, or snap it as a side-app next to your main window, either to the left or the right of the main window. As an example, I like having my email up in a side-window, while browsing the internet in the main window. No more having to switch to my email app. You could also put a movie on one of your side windows, or music. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple/Google add these features in the near future.

The Windows desktop still exists, and is used mainly for legacy support for non-windows8 programs. Eventually all programs should have a Windows8 version that can run through the Start screen (aka metro interface). Until then, it is nice to know I can run Visual Studio, Photoshop, Morrowind =) , on my very portable tablet. As an IT professional, having a full version of Windows 8 is invaluable. Non-windows8 programs may run slow on these tablets with Atom processors, but it is a small trade-off to get a very thin and light tablet with a full version of windows 8.

Battery Life:

The battery seems to last forever on these Atom powered tablets. I can use it all day for work, play games during lunch, watch movies when I get home, all without having to plug it in. And because I can't play a lot of graphics intensive games (yet), this tablet Is far outlasting my iPad.

Cost:

In general Windows RT tablets are $500 for a 32GB version without a keyboard, and $600 with a keyboard. Upgrading to larger hard drives (64Gb/128GB) increase the cost as well. Windows RT will not be able to run old programs but they do use an ARM processor that has better graphics performance (for now). These Atom powered tablets are between $600 and $800. They start with 64GB hard drives, and some include a keyboard. Not all Atom tablets are the same. Some have digitizers, and some don't. I feel that the larger hard drive, digitizer, and full version of Windows 8 is worth an extra $50-$100 more over the Windows RT Tablets.

Display:

The display is nowhere near as good as the iPad 3/4s Retina display. But it is good enough for web browsing/email/MSoffice/light gaming. It is very bright, but hard to see under direct sunlight. I really wanted a 1900x1000+ display, but the cost is just too much. Overall I am happy with this tablets 1366x768 resolution. It is perfect for watching movies. If you do any kind of artsy graphics stuff, you may need to invest in the higher cost, more bulky i5 tablets until manufacturers see a larger demand from us for better displays, on thinner/lighter/cheaper tablets.

Size:

The size made me hesitate a bit before I bought this. Coming from an iPad, I was hoping for a tablet that had similar dimensions. The iPad seems more balanced for holding it with one hand by the edge of the tablet. This one is designed to be used primarily in landscape mode, but because it is so wide, it makes it hard to hold it by the edge. I have found that it is more comfortable to just hold it by placing my hand on the back of the tablet like holding a pizza. Some people may have to pass on these wide tablets due to the preference of holding the tablet by the edge of the screen. Functionally though, Windows 8 takes full advantage of the wide format for having multiple programs on the screen at the same time. The thickness is just about the same as the iPad, and I am happy with it. .38" vs .37"

Sound:

Amazing. Stereo speakers on the edges of the tablet in landscape mode. It's nice to finally have stereo sound on a tablet for watching movies, listening to music and playing games. Don't expect much bass.

Weight:

Very light. Just slightly heavier than the iPad 4. 1.65 lb. vs 1.44 lb. The wide format makes it seem heavier than it is though. I am leery of upgrading to the Surface Pro or any other i5 tablet because they start to reach 2 lb. or higher. I want my tablet to remain a tablet. Hopefully technology will advance quickly so that we can have thin/light/HD display tablets that have the power to play high quality 3d games and do artist stuff. For now, I opted to have a light tablet that makes sacrifices elsewhere.

Digitizer:

Coming from an iPad I did not know what I was missing. Not all of the Windows 8 tablets have a digitizer, so you will need to decide if you want one that does, and shop accordingly. This adds an extra layer to the display that detects the stylus (it shows a dot on the screen when the stylus gets close to the screen). Hovering over a program or icon is the same as hovering your mouse over a program on a Desktop PC. you don't have to touch the screen. Touching the screen is like a left-click on a mouse. Pressing the button on the Stylus while pressing the screen initiates a right-click. (These functions change depending on what program you are using). The digitizer used in the Samsung tablets is a Wacom, which I believe has 1024 points of pressure detection. This allows you to change the thickness of the lines depending how hard you are pressing on the screen. In note-taking programs, when the screen detects the stylus is close to the screen, the program will ignore youre palm, making it much easier to take notes. Some programs perform great with the digitizer, and some are slow/delayed. I think the Atom processer does a good job with processing digitizer input for the most part. For artists, I would say a digitizer is a must have. The stylus is kind of small, and it is stored in the case of the tablet. It is very difficult to remove and I think they should have improved on this. Overall, I am going to like notetaking a lot better from now on.

Performance:

The Intel Atom Clover Trail chip is optimized for windows 8, and battery life. Perfect for a productivity tablet. The built-in graphics processing unit (GPU) is faster than the iPad 2, but slower than the iPad 3/4. I believe this was to improve battery life, and cut down on costs. The drivers for the GPU need some work before it can play full screen 3D games at its full potential. Expect games to perform better after a driver update is released in the future. Advances in technology should allow Intel to provide a better gaming experience without sacrificing battery life, size, weight of the tablet. Aside from gaming, I am happy with the performance of the Atom. Metro apps are flawless. Older desktop apps can sometimes lag, but overall they work fine. I was able to watch full HD 1080p movies with no issues. Old games that don't rely on GPU's perform good. See my list of playable games for an example.

Connectors/Ports:

This has a full, built-in USB 2.0 port, and MicroSD slot, and a MiniHDMI port. The USB port is great for connecting Flash Drives/Hard Drives/ peripherals, without the need for an adaptor. I outfitted my MicroSD slot with a 64GB memory card where I Store my downloads/Music/Movies/Games. I have not tried the MiniHDMI port yet.

My list of Cons:

The Keyboard Dock is unavailable. Aftermarket covers with built-in stands are not available yet. I will be buying the Microsoft Wedge Mobile keyboard. The cover doubles as a stand for the tablet. This will be smaller than the official Dock making it easier to keep with me should I need it.

As already discussed. The Graphics drivers could use an update to take full advantage of the GPU.

The case is made out of plastic. It flexes and feels kind of cheap. This obviously does not effect the performance and features.

That's it. There used to be issues with sound and the digitizer, but Samsung updates fixed them. Just run the Samsung updater when you get your tablet. A work-around is to disable the sound/digitizer in the Device Manager, and then re-enable them. Or just reboot.

Note: If you royally mess up your tablet, you can restore it to factory defaults:

Hold down the Volume-UP button while turning on the tablet to enter the Windows Troubleshooting utility.

Also note that Windows Restore Points are not enabled by default. If you want to be able to go back to a certain point in time, do the following:

To enable System Protection: Go to the desktop, swipe the screen from the right side to bring up the settings panel. Click on "Control Panel". Click on "System and Security" and then click on "System". Then select "System Protection". Then press the "Configure" button. Turn system protection on, then create a restore point right away. Installing updates does not automatically create a restore point like I thought it would. Just create a restore point before any system updates to be safe (not necessary for program updates)

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

As an owner of tablets before the ipad and all 3 ipad variations including the "new" ipad, I have always struggled to get rid of that feeling of it either being too cumbersome for use(pre-ipads), or just a toy with few cool uses(ipads). I think with this tablet, I have finally found what I am looking for. I am so happy with it, I am actually writing the first review I have ever done for a product.

Ability to hook up common usb peripherals and use them? Check external DVD, USB stick were a breeze to use and install programs (.iso of software CD's, etc). Flawless, and convenient.

Ability to use the programs I have already purchased for my home machine? Check Office 2010, adobe photoshop, etc they all worked without issue. I just can't emphasize how nice this is to finally have in a tablet. I even put world of warcraft on for the heck of it just because I could.

Ability to expand through a Micro SD card? Check bought a 64GB class 10 card and have Apps installed on it (yes, you can install apps to the microSD card) as well as videos, games, MP3's and pictures. Very handy, doesn't fill the O/S drive with unnecessary items.

Great Screen? Check even coming from a retina ipad user. Bright, vivid display with good sharp resolution. The auto brightness is a tad harsh at times, but that can be adjusted in the power settings.

Great battery? Check hours and hours of play each day for the last two days, and the remaining battery life frankly blew me away each night (60%+ available). This is through installing programs, playing games, watching videos, surfing the web (can't count the number of times my son looped that gangum style song on you tube!?!). Very impressed with battery life for a full featured machine.

Windows 8? Not as bad as I thought. I was anticipating a train wreck that would take me a long time to get used to. It is well done and feels good on the tablet. Not sure I am up for putting it on my home machine yet, but on the tablet, it really goes a long ways to make it the experience it is. Also, Samsung includes a program if you use the "SW Updater" that puts the start button functionality basically back on your desktop. Samsung did a nice job with the pen that you get with the tablet as well that thing is handy in OneNote, it can even read my terrible handwriting. When you have to bounce to the desktop, it is also a nice feature to be able to use the pen and click, drag, right-click. Not necessary, but nice none the less.

Processor Speed? Again, not as bad as I thought. I almost didn't buy it when I saw "atom". Perhaps intel should change the name, because this processor actually performs well. It seemed sluggish for the first few hours, but after that it has really been peppy. Perhaps there were some things installing in the background, or maybe uninstalling Norton bloatware did it, but the performance of the Atom processor has exceeded my expectations.

I think the build quality of the tablet is very nice good clean edges, great sounding speakers that point toward you, well placed inputs on the edges. As far as "feel" of the materials, I find it very similar to my wife's Galaxy S3. It is lighter than I expected for the size, but the size poses issues I mention below (non-standard nothing fits it).

Negatives? No docking station in stock anywhere I mean I have tried all over. No Cases and covers available for it yet. I am currently using a $12 sleeve I bought at a discount retailer (actually fits nice, made by merkury) that will have to hold me over until I find something real. The charger for it is like a laptop charger that plugs into the wall (has a mini brick). I don't see any Car adapters for it available, and would guess it will be expensive as you can't seem to use a common USB type charger for it.

Overall, those few negatives aside which time may fix, I love this thing. More than I expected. Thanks Samsung and Microsoft for finally making the tablet I have been waiting for.

Best Deals for Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T (Tablet Only)

I received this tablet with keyboard dock from Amazon on November 13 and experienced a number of problems, detailed in this review. However, I wanted to post my most recent experience at the top of the review so you can know what to expect if you buy the tablet today. My original review is posted below.

Latest Update 12/17/2012:

Samsung released driver updates at the end of last week for the chipset, sound card, and Bluetooth chip. I am glad to say that since those drivers were released, nearly every problem I've had with the tablet has been resolved. Sound is now 100% reliable with no clicking from the speakers, wifi connects reliably every time, and there seem to be no more random freeze ups. The keyboard dock has gradually become more reliable to the point where it has not disconnected in days (I think the connector just needs to "break in" a bit.) I have been pleased enough with this tablet over the last week that I ordered two additional units, one for the lab I work in, and another as a gift. The unit for the lab did experience keyboard disconnects at first, but over several days of use they have declined just like they did with mine. Like any first generation device, this one did have a few rough edges at first, but I'm impressed that Samsung has relatively quickly released updated drivers that solve nearly all the problems. For now I am leaving my review at 2 stars so that this review remains as the "most helpful critical review", but eventually I will update the rating to reflect my current feelings. If you have been eyeing this tablet and hesitating to buy it because of the reported problems, go ahead and buy it. If you run the included SW Update utility to get all the latest drivers, you will be very happy with the Samsung Ativ Smart PC.

Original Review:

I purchased the version with the keyboard dock from Amazon on October 29, and received it November 13. The tablet itself is everything it's made out to be, but the keyboard dock has a major problem. While comfortable to type on, it has a terrible problem where the connection between the keyboard and the screen is lost randomly while typing. The problem occurs most frequently when the system is resting on my lap, as opposed to on a desk. It is made worse if I use the touch screen before typing, or if my legs are angled downward. I believe the issue lies in a poorly designed docking connector on the keyboard. While the tablet does "lock" into place, it is not locked tightly enough to ensure a secure and reliable connection. When the problem occurs, a firm press to push the tablet back into the dock usually resolves it, but it's really annoying to have to do this constantly. In addition, when the keyboard connection is lost, so are the USB ports on the keyboard dock. I've already suffered failed file transfers while installing programs due to this issue.

For the time being, I will keep the tablet and see whether this becomes a serious issue, or whether it's just an intermittent annoyance. However, I cannot recommend the tablet/keyboard dock combination to anyone since Samsung is charging a $100 premium for a keyboard dock that simply doesn't work properly.

UPDATE 11/16/2012

I've used the tablet for a few days now, and my initial disappointment has been tempered somewhat by the amazingness of the tablet itself, as well as by discovering a method to reduce the frequency of the keyboard disconnects. First, regarding the keyboard dock. I discovered that if I firmly press the keyboard into the dock and then push the tablet to the right in order to fully engage the latching mechanism, the frequency of keyboard disconnects is reduced dramatically. I was initially experiencing keyboard disconnects nearly every 30 seconds, but after starting to push the tablet to the right when docking with the keyboard, the disconnects have decreased to maybe once or twice per day. It seems like taking a second every now and then to ensure the tablet is securely docked does a lot to prevent the disconnects.

Now, I haven't said anything about the tablet itself yet. Quite simply, it's amazing. There are a few minor issues that will probably be resolved with driver updates including occasionally glitchy Windows sound effects (resolved by reboot), and an unreliable S Camera app (though the Microsoft camera app works fine). The tablet is extremely fast and does not at all feel like an Atom processor. Websites load quickly and scrolling is smooth. The wifi signal strength is great, and it connected to my university's WPA-Enterprise encrypted network without a hitch (previous tablets I've had have struggled with this). The ambient light sensor is acceptable, though not the best (running SW Update to get the latest driver improves it a lot compared to the driver the computer ships with). The extremely wide, glossy screen looks spectacular and is great for viewing HD content (unlike the iPad's 4:3 screen). HD videos from Youtube and elsewhere play back perfectly. I was also impressed with the quality of the speakers. Despite having a super-thin slate form factor, the 2x0.8W speakers sound incredible better than many laptops I've used, and the volume is louder than you'd expect to get from a device of this type. I was also impressed with the tablet's ability to play MP3's over Bluetooth audio (A2DP) while the computer is in sleep mode, and also how resume from sleep mode is literally instant (no more 5-10 second wait like on most Windows 7 PC's.) The inking experience is great, just like you'd expect from any Wacom-powered tablet, and it's very convenient to be able to store the stylus inside the computer. The included stylus is short (crayon size) and does not have an eraser, so beware that to erase ink in the free Microsoft OneNote app, you will either need to rely on the Undo command or select and delete the ink manually (there is no eraser tool in the free OneNote app, unlike the full Office 2013 OneNote). Another option if you're inking often is to purchase a full size Wacom stylus that includes an eraser on the top. (The tablet DOES recognize the eraser on other Wacom styluses, I tested it.) This resolves the issue with erasing ink in the free OneNote, and is also more comfortable to write with.

Overall, my feelings about this system have changed drastically from when I first posted the angry review about the keyboard issue, so I'm increasing my rating to 4 stars. The missing star is for the occasional keyboard disconnects, and the lingering driver issues with the camera and the sound card. I'll post another update if I discover anything new!

UPDATE 11/25/2012:

A new annoying problem has started to occur on my tablet. The wifi will frequently fail to connect when I turn the tablet on. I'm subtracting a star because of this. It often takes 2-3 attempts of cycling Airplane Mode on/off to get it to connect. I've tried uninstalling/reinstalling the driver to no avail. Hoping a driver update fixes this, because other than the wifi issue I am loving my tablet. Even the keyboard disconnects that bothered me originally have been less and less frequent. I credit that mostly to me being more conscious of whether the tablet is securely seated in the dock, and pushing it in every now and then to make sure.

UPDATE 12/2/2012

The wifi problem has continued. Yesterday it took me a full 10 minutes of playing with the Airplane Mode toggle, connecting/disconnecting, sleep/wake, restart, and full shutdown/restart, before it finally connected. I have an email in to Samsung support about this issue, but have not received a response yet. If you search for "Samsung Ativ Wonky Wifi", you'll find a professional review of the tablet that also mentions this issue. This wifi problem is really ruining the fun with this unit. At least the keyboard dock issue could be quickly fixed when it occurred by pushing the tablet into the keyboard dock, but this wifi issue has no easy solution and is extremely disruptive. I'm subtracting another star, and I'm thinking about subtracting another, especially if Samsung support can't help out.

Honest reviews on Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T (Tablet Only)

Coming from an Android, I must say this product is fantastic. Mine is extremely fast, without lag on all Metro apps, and the majority of x86 apps (word, excel, onenote..)

However, the standard x86 PDF reader (Adobe Acrobat) does lag a bit.. no worries though the Metro PDF viewer is excellent.

EDIT I've changed the Adobe settings to .show current page only. and now it doesnt lag at all, even on my ginourmous PDFs

The digital pen is AWESOME. I had no idea what I was missing out on when I was using my capacitive-only Android. The pen is exceptional in the desktop mode because in desktop mode, icons are slightly small (11.6 inch vs 13/14/15 inch screens on regular laptops) and easy to mis-press when using the finger.

My tablet had no lag whatsoever during inking in onenote, samsung note, and MS Paint. I don't use photoshop, so I can't say anything about that.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU GET THIS TABLET WITHOUT THE KEYBOARD.

Keyboard is ~100 bucks extra and several reviews have mentioned problems about the keyboard falling out.

What I've done is get a $10 USB keyboard (Bluetooth works as well) and a 1-to-4 USB expander so I can use the keyboard while using flash drives and such. Once aftermarket cases come out, I'll get a case/stand for my Samsung 500t.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T (Tablet Only)

Before I review the product, I would like to state my intended use for the tablet, so that you can understand better my angle of view. I'm a graduate student. I already have a high performance laptop with a big monitor to watch movies, play games, run big simulations, or do image processing. Therefore, I mainly need the tablet to carry around, read docs, and take notes (organize them and share them or archive them).

With this in mind, things that do matter to me are:

(1) Long battery life. This kills any tablets that use core-i processors, which consume much more power. (10h vs 4h battery life)

(2) Windows 8 (not Windows RT). The problem with the new Microsoft OS is that it doesn't have many apps at the moment. However, having an OS that is compatible with any x86 software instantly bypasses this problem, and in my mind, is a much superior option. To name a few, you can use MS Office with its full functions, or use your favorite browser, or listen to spotify using the desktop version (even though spotify hasn't yet published an app for Windows RT).

(3) Wacom stylus (s pen). As I understand, tablets with innate support for Wacom stylus have a extra layer in their screen so that they can register the position of the stylus even when it's not touching the screen. They are also much more precise than capacitive stylus.

So does this tablet actually deliver these promises? I give a definite answer: Yes.

The new windows 8 is fun to use and quite smooth. It does take a few minutes to learn the tricks, as many functions are hidden on the edges of the screen, but I soon got used to that. I did run into a few hiccups in my 2 days test, but they are not overly annoying or distracting, and I believe Microsoft will soon fix them.

The S pen of the tablet makes digital inking really feasible. I didn't use the S note application that Samsung provides, but used MS OneNote 2010, and it really shines. The precision of the stylus is quite good.(If it is slightly off, you can calibrate it in Windows 8) You can write fairly small, yet still readable. When you use the stylus, you can use your finger to navigate the pages, which is very convenient. The ink to text function in OneNote recognizes 99% of my handwriting when I write pretty fast. Even if you don't specifically change ink to text, the inking is still searchable in the program, which is another big plus.

The screen doesn't have high resolution like some high-end ones, but it's high enough to support Windows 8 Snap feature. It's bright, with good contrast. I tested the camera, but wasn't very satisfied. The pictures doesn't look sharp, and it's difficult to focus at the right spot. But again, these are features that are of minor importance to me.

To sum up, this should not be considered as a personal PC replacement, and it's not designed to be one. However, if you simply want a tablet to carry around, read some documents, and take notes, this is definitely the right choice for you. Admittedly, the price is a bit on the high end at the moment, and in six month there will be next generation products that are faster and cheaper. But there will always be better ones further ahead.

Pros: Windows 8 (not RT), S pen, long battery life

Cons: Screen resolution, Camera

Review of APPLE POWERBOOK G4 17

Customer Ratings:

I bought this 550 MHz Powerbook G4 in 2001. I don't use it much for iPhoto anymore but it is quick as a bunny on the Net and just right for word processing and general computing. Amazing. Instant startup. Ever so much better than any of the newer Windows computers around the house. I wonder if it will last forever?

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Cheap Dell Black 17.3" Inspiron 1764 Laptop PC with Intel Core i3

Customer Ratings:

I purchased this as a gift for my husband, had it 120 days and the screen cracked. Unfortunately, it was only guaranteed for 90 days so now I am without a screen/laptop. Not a happy camper!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Dell is always a winner. This 17.3" Inspiron works great looks good and seems very well built. It has all the extras I could use for business or pleasure.

Best Deals for Dell Black 17.3" Inspiron 1764 Laptop PC with Intel Core i3

Excelente producto, nos gusto muchisimo mi esposo esta full contento de excelente calidad, espero que continuen asi. Los felicito, éxitos

Honest reviews on Dell Black 17.3" Inspiron 1764 Laptop PC with Intel Core i3

I bought this for my 88 year young mother who has moved in an assisted home but she was not comfortable with the display so I gave it to my girl friend. It has better ratings (Windows Experience index) than her 3 year old desktop and it is still win 7 which my mom and girl friend would rather have. (they both are not good with learning new ways ! , My mother especially so ! )

I wanted to stick with a name brand even know they are pretty much all made in China, Korea etc........

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Dell Black 17.3" Inspiron 1764 Laptop PC with Intel Core i3

In regards to the poor review, the packaging states to update the Dell Driver upon first using it. This prevents any crashing, and updates to the most current driver. This was a steal. I was looking for a windows 7 OS, and this computer is fast and has lots of memory. Must have!

Toshiba Satellite C855D-S5315 Laptop Computer (Satin Black) Review

Customer Ratings:

We purchased this computer just before Christmas. It has Windows 8 and worked fine the first few weeks. All of a sudden the internet connection began giving us problems. Extremely slow and a yellow triangle over the internet connection icon. When clicked it says "limited" as the status. This problem is intermittent.

Yesterday, January 2nd, I called Toshiba customer service since we bought the machine in November and it is still under warranty. I explained the situation and that I have four other computers using the same internet connection without a problem. Rep named John asks me if she recently downloaded a Windows update. I told him she probably did since she has Windows update on automatic. He said that could be the problem. He puts me on hold to "research the problem," comes back and tells me that he has to transfer me to one of the expert technicians who will assist me but I have to pay for this service. I told him that I won't pay for service on a two month old computer. He claims that he can't help me and only the higher level of tech support can at a fee. I told him I wanted to speak with his manager he claims his manager was busy and on another call but he would have him call me back. It is a day later and still no return call.

Their lower level customer service is not capable of helping so they direct their customers, who are still under warranty, to a pay-for-service rep. INSANE!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

We bought two of these laptops. Got them set up a week after purchasing and the one laptop only last 1 week before it would no longer boot. "No bootable device -Please restart system" Hard drive went bad after a week of light use. Toshiba charges $25 for me to ship it back to them AND I may be charged diagnostic costs. Ridiculous! Bad company.

Best Deals for Toshiba Satellite C855D-S5315 Laptop Computer (Satin Black)

After 3 months the computer had vertical lines all over screen. Called and they said to send it in. After many days waiting I called and the Toshiba representative said that it was not covered. Likely been dropped. It was never dropped!!! They wanted me to pay $325.00 to get it fixed. Could not speak to a diagnostic team member who determined this was customers fault, but spoke to manager to no avail as her only job is to file a complaint. I wish I read the hundreds of bad reviews on Toshiba before I purchased this piece of junk.

Honest reviews on Toshiba Satellite C855D-S5315 Laptop Computer (Satin Black)

Bad customer support worse than nothing at all. Bad attitude like you woke them up from sleeping. This has got to be the cheapest made laptop I've ever seen. The whole keyboard sinks down when a key is pressed. the speakers are real bad all garbled can't understand them. screen is fusiy a lot hard to read & color is not very good washed out. The only thing I can say good about this laptop is its cheap !!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba Satellite C855D-S5315 Laptop Computer (Satin Black)

This a great laptop. I bought it because my old one (Dell) was running way to slow. This one has all the features I was looking for. And a great price too!

Discount HP Pavilion dm1-3010nr 11.6 LED Entertainment Notebook AMD E-350

Customer Ratings:

Excellent product. I will add more memory and replace the HD with a SSD.

It will be a perfect tool.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

It stated clearly that this laptop was upgraded to 8gb ram, but the machine only has 2gb of ram. Would love to have the other 6gb of ram to improve performance.

Best Deals for HP Pavilion dm1-3010nr 11.6 LED Entertainment Notebook AMD E-350

Read Product Description very carefully. It has a small (tablet size) screen and no dvd drive. Not sure how you are supposed to watch movies. All available content would be online.