Reviews of Acer Aspire S5-391-9880 13.3-Inch HD Display Ultrabook (Black)

Customer Ratings:

ORIGINAL 7/4/2012 REVIEW:

I've been waiting for (stalking) this laptop since it was announced at CES, so when word came out that it was finally going to be available in June, I was thrilled. Unfortunately, Amazon kept saying it was still a pre-order, even well past the June 24th release date that Amazon published on their site (as of writing this review, Amazon provides for a 3-4 week shipping time). I was able to order it from another online retailer on July 2nd, and with overnight shipping had it in my hands on the 3rd.

At this point I've had the S5 for a little over 24 hours... but here is what I've seen.

The Good:

-Super fast load times, fast install times, just overall snappy response.

-The metalic case has a nice feel. Much nicer than the last Acer laptop I used (an Acer One Netbook)

-Video is clear and sharp to my eyes. I saw some of the forums complained about the resolution, but I use my computer for work and browsing, not gaming or watching hi-def videos.

-Comes with a blue-tooth mouse. This is probably in the product description someplace, but I hadn't noticed it. It appears to be the logitech V470.

The Mediocre

-The keyboard has a bit of a weird feel to it, though I understand this is a common issue with ultrabooks due to the lack of depth in the case. Doesn't feel bad, just weird.

-A couple times I've come close to dropping it when it started to slip out of my hands, may need to add some grip tape or something. This may just be me though.

-The Magic Flip I/O port is surprisingly noisy. I was expecting something a little more refined.

The Bad

-The screen hinge is a little soft, causing the screen to move back and forth when I type. More of an annoyance.

-In addition to the hinges being soft, the screen/clamshell-top is not very stiff, and feel a little flexy. It would definitely be nice if this were stiffer, just from a carrying around perspective.

So far I love this thing, but I'll update the review once I've used it for a few weeks in the real world. As this is a newly released hardware platform for Acer, I'm expecting to run into some bugs that require driver or firmware updates.

______

UPDATED 8/28/2012

I've now been using this laptop as my main computer for almost two months (10+ hrs a day during the week, 5-6 hrs over the weekend), and still think it rates 5 stars. Here is my updated breakdown:

The Good:

-Battery Life: Still getting about 5-6 hrs depending on what I'm doing, I think if I turned down the brightness and ran in power saver mode I would have no problem hitting the advertised 6.5 hours.

-Thunderbolt: I was wondering what to do with this port until I tried plugging in a coworker's apple mini display port adapter, and was able to drive a 3rd monitor with no issues, so I picked up a cheap aftermarket adapter off Amazon. When I'm at my desk, I run two external monitors (1 off the thunderbolt, 1 off the HDMI) and the laptop monitor, and everything works pretty seamlessly.

-The keyboard: I'm completely used to the keyboard and have no issues typing on it.

-Still super light, super fast (even with all the junk I've loaded), and still very pleased with the machine overall.

The Mediocre:

-I had a few random shut downs and freezes, hard to tell whether this is the hardware or the OS, although this seems to have cleared up in the last 3 weeks.

-The Fan: It is noisy. And it runs a lot.

The Bad:

-It's 2012 and this is supposed to be an ultra portable, only desktops should have port in the back. Acer, why would you put the ports on the back when people are frequently picking up and moving the laptop? The ports would be much more convenient on the side rather than the back.

Things that no longer bother me:

-Magic Flip I/O port

-The soft screen hinge

Accessories I've purchased (and work):

-BlueRigger High Speed HDMI to DVI Adapter Cable (replace the HDMI/VGA dongle)

-Rocketfish Mini Display Port-to-VGA Adapter

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I got this laptop yesterday. I was in the market for an Ultrabook with all-SSD storage, which, it turns out, narrows down the options quite a bit. It turns out that most Ultrabooks have regular spinning drives for mass storage, plus a small SSD for quick booting, etc.

One unique feature is the "I/O door". Basically, during normal use, the USB, etc. ports are hidden. You press a button on the top-right area of the keyboard and a little motor activates and sort of extrudes the ports. The whole back of the laptop lifts a quarter inch or so. I didn't even know about the I/O door before I opened the package, so it wasn't a selling point for me. Seems like a decent idea--the ports should get less gunked up if they're hidden during normal unplugged use and when it's sitting in a bag.

Pros:

Very fast.

Very nice screen.

Boots hella fast.

All SSD storage, and enough of it for this to be your primary computer (256GB)

Good power consumption, although I haven't really tested it yet. It lasted several hours last night, and it was downloading gigabytes of updates and email the whole time.

Light (just over 2.5 pounds)

Thin

Comes with an HDMI-to-VGA adapter for older monitors

Cons:

Fan is somewhat noisy and runs most of the time. I guess that's what you get with so much awesome inside, but I feel like the cooling could be better designed.

I/O door is noisy. Not a big deal, but it surprised me the first time I opened it. If you have pets, they might freak out.

Could be a little sturdier. I was coming from a MacBook Pro, which was really solid. I don't expect problems with this, but you can tell it's made a little more cheaply.

Best Deals for Acer Aspire S5-391-9880 13.3-Inch HD Display Ultrabook (Black)

This is possibly one of the fastest laptops I have ever used in my life. With its usage of Solid State Drive and an Intel Core i7 Processor, its turning on time and shutting down time is blazing fast. From sleep mode, it will return to where you left at within 1 second and from a shut down mode to on, it takes less than 10 seconds. It's a ready when you need it laptop. A perfect one for business and school/college work.

It's slimness is fascinating considering the automated usb drives and such. The 250GB is a no problem if it is planned to be used for work instead of any media heavy/video game heavy files.

The Good/Benefits:

-It's ultra fast (1 second boot from sleep and 6 second boot from off)

-It's ultra slim

-Has Thunderbolt (Although there really is no purpose for this)

-Has 2 3.0 USB Drives

The Oks...

-Good enough screen (Not that clear, not that pixelized.

-Good enough Keyboard (The keyboard is a bit noisy when typing up in the night, and it could possibly disturb someone sleeping)

-A solid 6.25 Hours of Battery life

The disadvantages:

-Hot! Hot! Hot! (This laptop's temperature increases like crazy compared to others with just browsing)

-The screaming noise when you turn open and close the USB port thing.

-USB port thing opens and closes when it gets too hot for "more ventilation"

-Very noisy fan

Overall: If you don't mind the noise and put in ear plugs whenever you work, then you are completely find with this ultrabook. Just like how I'm writing this review with this laptop, you want to get more out of this speed!

Honest reviews on Acer Aspire S5-391-9880 13.3-Inch HD Display Ultrabook (Black)

I will probably keep this ultrabook, the geek hacker in me really likes the dark brushed maganesium/aluminum metal look everywhere including the keyboard. And the thin light nature of this, nice for taking in a backpack biking or to a coffee shop. My friend says the keyboard and touchpad look identical to the Mac Airbook, and given that the box said this is made in China, it would not surprise me if the same company makes some of the same components for both ultrabooks. I will likely buy a SquareTrade warranty off Amazon now that I have decided to keep this.

I don't use USB or Thunderbolt so the back ports that appear with the use of the magic button are not much use or of interest to me.

PROS:

Very cool brushed dark metallic magnesium aluminum finish, not 'plastic' like so many laptops.

Thin, and light

Boots insanely fast from both power on cold boot or from sleep suspend mode

Keyboard is fine, and I am a writer; I was worried about this from some reviews but it is not an issue for me.

Screen brightness and colors are fine, especially if you adjust the graphics (right click on desktop); some reviews talked about washed out colors-yes the screen is dimmer and more subdued if you are on power saving mode.

Audio is nice.

Touchpad is centered (i like that, so many today are way off to the left which makes no sense and is annoying when writing), large, wonderful, allows some gesture movements, etc.

CONS:

Battery life is not what one would hope given the competition of the Mac Airbook (12 hrs). Looking at something like 3-4 hrs out of the box here unless you dim the screen and turn off wifi (turning off wifi seems to give an extra 30 minutes, same with dimming screen. So, not listening to music or watching video, just typing, no wifi, dim the screen, you might tweak 4-5 hrs on a full battery charge.

It was a a painful experience to get the bluetooth mouse to work, might have had something to do with windows updates; ultimately if had to do updates, reboots, delete existing bluetooth mouse device then reinstall it, still unsure if it will 'stick'.

Why Acer put the audio earbud/headphone jack on the right side and far back near the hinge eludes me because that means the cord is all over in the way of where i normally use the fricken mouse. Why did't they put the audio jack port on the left?! Annoying design flaw! If I can figure out this bluetooth issue, i might just buy a bluetooth set of headphones and avoid the cord altogether.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer Aspire S5-391-9880 13.3-Inch HD Display Ultrabook (Black)

So far so good. This machine is a different experience. Let me set the stage.

I am 75, I do a lot of investing, I am big on photos, movies and the making of DVDs on a personal basis. I travel a lot. Add to that I have no cable service where I live in NH. And you can then see how important a mobile computer is to me. Smartphones will not do it for me and I really do not want to work in clouds or rely on some other system for my work.

I use a bigger computer for the big jobs. I currently have an HP 311 mini computer. It has been a great aid but it lacks power and is very slow. The S5 is clearly an incredible improvement. I can now process photos through Photoshop and make movies using Win Movie Maker with no problem while on the move. At a later point I can do DVDs on my larger computer. The 2.5 # weight of the S5 compares to 3.8# while the screen of the S5 is 13.3" vs. 11.7". The HP was a great machine for the price at the time. The S5 is much pricier at $975 but it's features make it worth having. The HP is 3 years oldan eternity in this business. When I think back of the days that it would cost me about 10 grand to do pictures with a Mac and windows got me in for $2500 with a 100 mb machine-something else.

We are always learning in this computer business. I can understand the frustrations some folks have with the USBs in the back and the raising of the ports using a mechanical device. At the same time it seems that you should have as much faith in mechanical as well as electronic systems. It is critical to realize that a lightweight device will sacrifice strength unless you use expensive sophisticated materials. Whether or not it will fail is up to the quality Acer is exacting from production. Since I do not hear well the noise is meaningless. The lightness and size of the screen more than justifies the location of the ports. It is only with flash cars where it is a problem and yes if you are wanting to put a usb device in while you are on a bus it could be difficult. For me I use external drives for all of my files. I only keep stuff on my desktop (not supposed to do that) on a temporary basis. I then clean it up and put it on an external drive for use in the larger computer. Mobility is important to me but I am always in my car or a residence. Where Photoshop would not even install on the 311 it installs and works well on the S5.

The typing is far better than on my HP 311. The 311 is the dark ages compared to the S5. But the HP did serve a great need. I use Verizon for my internet connection(we have no cable in my town in NH). So it is important for me to use the machine in the car to check on the markets. On volatile days it is critical to pay attention. I am a long term investor with a short term view if the market demands it. Originally the connection was through the computer. Now I am using a Verizon Jetpack. Since it serves up to 4 computers it was an obvious choice and the cost is similar.

Recently we had a power failure in Jersey and NY and my wireless jetpack did a great job. By using the S5 in a judicious way I was able to keep up with the market when it opened on Wednesday. We got power intermittently in my location and I was able to charge the S5 so I do not know how long it would have lasted. It recovered quickly when I started using it. So I have no real complaints yet. The only issue I have now is my Garmin Streetpilot 2723 software will not install because of the lack of a disk drive. But I can get around that issue.

Update: 11/12/12

The machine is performing well. Having conditioned the battery according to instructions I see it lasting about 5-6 hrs., depending on use.

?The Bluetooth mouse that came with it was a real buster. It turned out after all of the tech talk and uninstalling and whatever that what I needed to do when I saw the mouse in 'devices and printers' was to remove it and then 'add a device'. Computers can really be silly sometimes but there it is. Otherwise the machine is light,the ports are tricky but manageable and the typing seems better than the HP mini but not as good as a full size computer. Photoshop runs well and the speed of working with the usb ports is great. Right now it is difficult to tell of the wireless works as well as I would like but Sandy's effect on Verizon makes me wait in judgment-so that will come later. Also the size of the screen is great given the light weight.

ASUS UX31A-DH71 13.3-Inch Zenbook (Silver Aluminum) Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,499.00
Sale Price: $1,179.99
Today's Bonus: 21% Off

I travel on a regular basis and wanted a laptop to carry around. But still want form and function beyond a tablet.

This fits the bill perfectly. I was able to load the few programs I use and documents and still have a great deal of space left, which was my concern on the ultra-books.

Speed? you lift the screen and the unit is on and running. Programs run fast and smooth.

The other review talking about the track pad was correct, however they updated the software for the unit and its totally fixed. In fact right when it updates the first time its powers on this is fixed.

The only difficult section is getting used to the quick gestures that Windows 8 uses to move between programs, scan up and down a page etc. But once you figure them out its pretty quick and intuitive.

Overall this was a great purchase. I have had it for 3 weeks and love it.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

My Sony Vaio VPCSA was only one year old and got stolen from me, so I needed to buy a new laptop. It was quite clear that I wouldn't get the same model again. Just like last year, I spent a lot of time learning about the current state of the laptop market before purchasing the Asus UX31A. So far, I have been very pleased with my choice.

My hard requirements for a laptop are fairly basic:

writing

software development in Linux

the option to play games such as StarCraft 2 and Diablo 3.

possible to carry around every day: ideally not larger than 14"; if 15", then it should be lightweight

no fan noise during office use

battery life > 4 hours

My wish-list included:

very good display

non-glossy display

SSD drive

very good build quality

hybrid graphics card (*)

I learnt quickly that there is no perfect device and that you have to compromise somewhere. Luckily, the only compromise I had to make for the UX31A is the hybrid graphics card (*). It turns out that laptops with a hybrid graphics card are often at least 15" and quite heavy (such as the Macbook Pro Retina 15", which is the only Macbook Pro Retina that has hybrid graphics and is too expensive), and they generally have a relatively bad build quality, loud fans, and a very short battery life (even when the dedicated graphics card is powered off). I considered the UX32VD, but I didn't want to sacrifice both the SSD-card and the excellent build quality of the UX31A just to get a low-end hybrid graphics card.

I am so glad I did compromise on this point! I can play StarCraft 2 and Diablo 3 perfectly fine on customized Mid settings after playing around with some of the settings. Some options that only require RAM and do not depend on the GPU can even be set to High. It is important to manually switch to the "High Performance" power plan in Windows and not use the default "Power4Gear High Performance" since the latter appears to exhibit noticeably worse performance. The graphics still looks very good, and besides, I've heard that StarCraft 2 Pros actually play it on Low. In fact, I feel like these games actually run much smoother now than on my old Sony Vaio, which did have a dedicated graphics card. Maybe this is because you can't use ATI's original graphics driver, but you have to use Sony's outdated version. Furthermore, hybrid graphics has always been a hassle, especially in Linux, and it is annoying to switch graphics cards. It's awesome not to have to deal with this. The Intel HD 4000 appears to be a really decent card.

The display

The Chromebook Pixel, the Macbook Pro Retina, and the UX31A are, at the time of this writing and to the best of my knowledge, the only laptops with high-resolution displays. The gaming requirement meant that I couldn't get the Chromebook Pixel because it's not clear that you can install Windows on it (you can install Linux). The Macbook Pro Retina display is glossy, and apparently, even more prone to reflections than old glossy Macbook displays. The UX31A has an excellent non-glossy display and is a pleasure to work with!

The UX31A and Linux

I installed Ubuntu 12.10 on this device. I ran into some minor issues during the installation, but now that everything is set up, everything seems to work perfectly.

To install Ubuntu 12.10, you either need an external DVD drive or an external storage device. I used a DVD drive. Unfortunately, the computer did not automatically boot from the DVD, and I first had to change the corresponding setting in the BIOS (now called EMI). You also need to deactivate a strange "secure boot" feature in the EMI, as this does not work with Ubuntu.

The Wireless adapter didn't work right away on my device. However, if the USB to ethernet adapter is plugged in before the computer boots, you can get internet this way at the time of installation.

After the installation, going through this guide helped me to set everything up: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AsusZenbookPrime

It is likely that the installation will be much smoother on Ubuntu 13.04.

Final remarks

The UX31A is sturdy, lightweight, and thin. It is so light that I have to open my backpack to check whether I really put it in there. I really like the keyboard and the display. The trackpad is a bit unusual, but of high quality too. The computer boots in seconds and is fan-free during office use. If you have needs similar to the ones I listed above, consider buying this laptop.

Best Deals for ASUS UX31A-DH71 13.3-Inch Zenbook (Silver Aluminum)

I travel a lot for my job and I thought I would give an Ultrabook a try with touchscreen capabilities, even though I like my trusty Sony Z series lightweight 13" laptop I've had for 2 years.

Bought this on the road at Best Buy and my initial impression was great until the next 5 hotels and other buildings I used it at. Whenever there was even a 2 to 3 bar signal the wifi slowed way down. I even brought out my aging Sony and my Samsung 10" tablet to be certain it was an issue with the computer and not all the crappy wireless signals you can get at certain hotels. It was this computer. Every time I compared it, it was painfully slower than the other 2. Downloads, and playback of video news stories were constantly stopping and starting, while my Sony and tablet just played and downloaded the same files without a hitch.

So I called tech support, downloaded the latest driver, tweaked the power settings to all max, did it all to no avail. Returned the unit and bought another one a few weeks later thinking maybe it was just "that" Asus, and wanted to give it another chance. Same exact problem occurs at every hotel, and now, even at home with blazing fast wifi (50mbps). As soon as I take it even 20' away from the router it fails miserably in general wifi performance. I am a pretty accomplished techie guy and researched the hell out of this noting wifi adapter strength settings in the power settings that I read in other forums. Nothing works to eliminate this problem. Unfortunately I will be returning this one as well.

Too bad really, because in most other ways this is a great ultrabook, which is why I've been trying so hard to make it work. Just have to wait for something better around he corner.

Honest reviews on ASUS UX31A-DH71 13.3-Inch Zenbook (Silver Aluminum)

Would you believe this laptop is not only amazingly thin, light, and fast, but it also supports two external monitors in addition to the laptop screen!? I run one monitor at 1920x1080 over the micro HDMI port and another at 1920x1080 over the micro VGA port.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS UX31A-DH71 13.3-Inch Zenbook (Silver Aluminum)

I really like this laptop. The screen is bright. The solid state HD makes it fast. The keyboard is lit and has a nice feel. (Yes, the delete key should not be next to the power button, but I've never accidentally shut it off.) The audio is good enough. The camera is excellent. The screen dimming range is less that I would like, but not bad.

The worst thing of all is the touch pad. First off, you must upgrade the driver or it will not work for you at all. I recommend doing all the setup with an external mouse until after you have updated the touchpad driver. Also, spend the time to remove the junk software that comes pre-installed. Note, you can turn off the touch pad from the keyboard using the function key.

Even after you install the new touchpad drivers, life is not good. The left and right buttons are built into the touch pad. They are continuous with the touch-sensitive surface, so I often end up moving the mouse or, worse yet, resizing the text/graphics while trying to click the left or right button. The pad is too large. It is designed for gestures, but it is too easy to accidentally touch the pad while typing. I am a very good touch typist and there is nothing worse than having a sentence jump into the wrong part of the document. The pad is cumbersome at best and burdensome at worst. I use an external mouse when I can, but much of my work is with the laptop on my lap (duh?).

Don't buy this laptop based on specs. The specs are great and it does meet expectations in that regard. But, try one out and see if you can tolerate the touch pad. "Tolerate" is all that I can do.

Best ASUS X54C-ES91 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black) Deals

Customer Ratings:

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.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

If you can find a better laptop for this price, I'd be amazed. I received it today and booted it up. Lightning quick reflexes this thing has. I was amazed to see how nice the cooling system is. I have had my laptop on all day and I can't even feel any heat what so ever, NONE. The keys feel great, nothing on this laptop feels cheap. Very impressed, I was a long time buyer of HP Products... but I think I am ASUS for life now. Very very, impressed as I said. Look forward to using this laptop for quite sometime. I had bought it as what I thought would be a temporary laptop, but think I might end up getting another some day soon. Surprised there's not more good reviews on this really... My mom owns a newer Acer laptop, and it was about the same price... honestly junk compared to this. Seriously. 5**************

Best Deals for ASUS X54C-ES91 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

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.

Honest reviews on ASUS X54C-ES91 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

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.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS X54C-ES91 15.6-Inch Laptop (Black)

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.

Hp Pavilion Dv6 Dv6t 15.6" Laptop - 2nd Generation Intel Core Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I am very disappointed with this laptop, It doesn't work very well, its functions hang up. The web cam is not working fine, The laptop freezes. I only used this laptop for a week.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Asus ZenBook UX32A-R3502H Radiant Silver 13.3"(1366x768) Ultrabook Reviews

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $769.99
Sale Price: $552.90
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

Here are my comments about a few things I noticed. Hopefully these will be useful to other people in making a decision.

Likes

-----

Price, lightweight, looks like a Macbook Air, matte screen, feels metallic solid, backlit keyboard, speakers, motherboard quality (I hope it lasts long, I read that ASUS is famous for its motherboards; my previous ThinkPad motherboard failed after about 2 years of use)

fan noise barely audible at any time, had to bring the laptop close to the ear to hear it running.

Temperature gets barely hot at the bottom even after many hours of use, heat dissipation is very efficient with all metallic surfaces

Neutral

-------

keyboard I don't like chiclet style keyboards, not really good for typing. My previous Thinkpad had an awesome keyboard.

processor core i3, kind of slow, but I knew it while buying, guess that's why it's cheaper.

SSD does not boot any faster. It's as if the laptop has a regular spinning HD.

Battery I'm getting ~ 3-4 hours with regular use.

Wireless no problem so far, connects immediately upon booting/waking up.

Dislikes

--------

Mousepad the worst thing in this ultrabook is the mousepad. It's enormous in size (there was really no need!) and because of that my hands keep touching it and making mistakes all the time while typing. I am getting used to typing with my wrists slightly lifted off of the surface. Moreover, mousepad is very sensitive to touch, I am not sure if there is any setting which can be changed to make it less sensitive, will look around. Also I miss the dedicated left/right click buttons. I had them in my previous Dell and ThinkPad laptops and found them useful for navigation.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Pros:

Quick, but not lightning speed

Amazing design, weighing in around 3 pounds

Back-light keyboard and its spacing

Ideal for school, or everyday use

3 usb ports

Comes w/ USB to Ethernet & Mirco USBto HDMI cable.

Cons:

Battery life is average

Fan is on the bottom, but rarely gets hot

Loaded with bloatware

Fan is not completely silent, but is not distracting

No DVD/CD player, not a deal-breaker however

Trackpad is unnecessarily large

For the most part, I believe this laptop is a great run for its money. I am very impressed with its design, and is ideal for me since I do not plan on doing graphic design or gaming on the laptop. 4gb of ram is plenty, and is for the most part fast but like I said it is not blazing speed. I can type flawlessly on the keyboard, and in addition the back-light keyboard is a nice feature. The sound is pretty good, and the speakers are located to the right/left side of the laptop. Upgrading the battery and deleting the bloatware isn't to much of a hassle. This is a laptop worth buying.

Best Deals for Asus ZenBook UX32A-R3502H Radiant Silver 13.3"(1366x768) Ultrabook

This PC is almost as good as a Mac, but half the price.

Pros> great design, very sleek, easy to use, good keyboard, very responsive touchpad, very good speakers for the size, backlit keyboard, easy to carry, light, doesnt get warm, good quality of the material

Cons> not as fast, screen not as bright as a macbook, sometimes fan gets a bit noisy

Neutral> battery is not bad, but not awesome either, it last like 5 hours with normal use

Honest reviews on Asus ZenBook UX32A-R3502H Radiant Silver 13.3"(1366x768) Ultrabook

I'm so glad with this purchase. I chose the refurbished version from Ocean Reef and the result is great. US$ 100 less and feels completely new.

The laptop looks great. The computer is fast and responsive.The touchpad (once I deactivated the tap function) works smooth and great. I would definetely recommend it.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Asus ZenBook UX32A-R3502H Radiant Silver 13.3"(1366x768) Ultrabook

This is an awesome ultrabook. It's fast, light and thin. The keypad is perfect. Win 7 is great for me.

Best 13.3" Intel 500G 4G Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,051.77
Sale Price: $814.79
Today's Bonus: 23% Off

This laptop functions reasonably and does what it is supposed to. Frankly, I won't run anything more than just a word processing document using mine. I've had it for three months and for the nearly $1000 I was expecting much more. It is ALWAYS overheating. Surfing the web for an hour and a half drains the battery completely while simultaneously heating up to the point where you expect it to melt. DO NOT BUY. I'm so upset with this purchase.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Lo recibi en el tiempo previsto y bajo las características que ofrecia el proveedor, estoy muy contenta con la laptop, hasta el momento no ha presentado ninguna falla.

Cheap Sony VAIO E Series SVE15134CXW 15.5-Inch Laptop (White)

Customer Ratings:

Exactly as described. I adore it. Best Microsoft windows laptop in my opinion. I love the look of it and windows 8 is pretty awesome as well. Its not as hard to operate as people have been saying it is. i just got my laptop today and im already used to it. lol. You still have the original desktop to so theres nothing different except the setup in the begining. And if you order this laptop on amazon. i suggest getting it through amazon and go about the free shipping they offer when you buy more then one thing over 25 dollars. my estimated shipping was for next week and i ordered it on monday. Waaaay earlier then expected which is even better! So, if your thinking about getting this laptop, go for it! Deffinetly worth it and its different in a good way from the rest. :3

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I deliberately waited a few months to write a review on this so I had time to truly discover what I did and did not like about this laptop.

The Operating System

A big difference to me was made by Windows 8. I'll be honest, I don't much like the OS. It takes me a good few minutes to find certain programs that I could find in seconds on XP or Windows 7. Also the OS seems to have a function that works through the mousepad that minimizes the function or game you are on and snaps back to the desktop it's pretty annoying when gaming so I use a separate mouse for that. It just seems like the OS missed the mark in anticipating the needs of people using it. My mother has the same laptop and she made the same comment to me just recently, and she's not a gamer! So truly, gamer or not, you may find Windows 8 a bit of a pain, at least until you get used to it. The system also comes with Kaspersky Internet security 2013 which is a great anti-virus/security system.

The Laptop

The laptop itself is a dream! The keys are lit from below so you can even use it in the dark without the need to switch a nearby lamp on. The 'Fn' key works like a shift to enable your F-keys to adjust thinks like brightness and sound, meaning they casn be used as regular F-keys in games (I had a previous laptop where you had to press 'Fn' to use those keys as F keys, so I greatly appreciate this!).

The laptop is desinged around you shutting the lid to place it into a power-saving mode, so most of the time you will never need to shut down. The manufacturer claims it can be left in this mode for up to 2 days unplugged, although I've only tested it for about a day. When you open the lid the laptop is ready in seconds, so it saves a lot of time setting up overall.

While the main reason I bought the laptop was for Skyping with family in England, (the built-in webcam and mic are what I looked for) I do spend a lot of time gaming. The laptop runs Star Wars: The Old Republic very smoothly. I also play APB Reloaded and Stat Trek Online with no problems, and at high graphics settings. In choosing this laptop I looked for system specs that would run the new Sim City game, though I haven't bought that yet! All of these games run smoothly and the laptop hardly even gets warm. The fan system works very well indeed!

Overall

The OS is a pain sometimes but you can live with it. The benefits of how this laptop runs and works and the fact that it hasn't run into anything it can't handle far outweigh the few niggling problems I've had with Windows 8. I couldn't bring myself to rate this laptop less than 5 stars and my wife will tell you I've spent every spare minute on it since it arrived! If you're prepared to spend a little more than the average cheap-end $400 laptops, this one is great value for money.

Best Deals for Sony VAIO E Series SVE15134CXW 15.5-Inch Laptop (White)

This computer is Awesome and I would recommend this to anyone and everyone. The rapid wake technology is real nice. The Tech support is the best I ever experienced. Must have 5 Stars !!!!!!!

Honest reviews on Sony VAIO E Series SVE15134CXW 15.5-Inch Laptop (White)

this is my second Sony Lap top ...my first one I just passed down to my son...but 5 plus years and still going..

I love the keyboard...bouncy and it lights up..and the display is very clear ...the sound amazing...

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO E Series SVE15134CXW 15.5-Inch Laptop (White)

Northing like I expected from Sony. The camera on this laptop is the worst I've ever seen, I mean the quality is so poor you can see the real pixels. This has been the most disappointing computer I've ever bought.

Review of Acer Aspire NX.M34AA.005;ASV3-731-4634 17.3-Inch Laptop

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $547.65
Sale Price: $469.99
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

I purchased this computer , because I had a windows 8 computer that was confusing to use.

This laptop has a nice keyboard that is quiet, and the keys are smooth. The screen is bright

with a sharp picture. The thing I like most, is the card reader works with xd memory cards. I have

a Fuji Film camera that uses this card. Windows 8 does not work for me. I was happy to find this laptop.

I am going to hold on to it as long as I can.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

You can buy the same computer with Windows 8 for considerably less. There is a reason why. Microsoft 8 is killing the PC market. I bought an HP laptop with Windows 8 several months ago and it is a horror. I hate the computer. I have researched and Windows 8.1 does not appear to be much better and it is not even available yet. And so I just ordered 2 of these laptops to get Windows 7 while they are still available. It is difficult to find them in stores. My software is not compatible with Windows 8, many files do not work, my scanner did not work, my printer is agonizingly slow. It is a HORROR. Microsoft should recall all of the Windows 8 computers it sold.

Best Deals for Acer Aspire NX.M34AA.005;ASV3-731-4634 17.3-Inch Laptop

I'm mostly very pleased with this laptop. The big screen and the performance are great.

The big 17.3 inch screen comes at a price for portability. It weighs 7 pounds. That's a bit much to carry in my hand or on one shoulder but not as bad in a backpack. I've been using a backpack on little luggage cart. That may seem like a lot of bother but I really like this big screen.

This past week I tried to use my USB3 Toshiba 1 TB portable hard drive on each of the USB3 ports. But it kept disconnecting & reconnecting making it unusable. I tested other USB3 portable drives and had the same spontaneous disconnect problem. These drives work fine on the USB3 ports of my Win8 Samsung laptop & my Win7 Dell desktop. These portable USB3 drives get power from the USB3 port.

Acer recommended reinstalling the USB3 driver and that fixed things for 3 of my 4 USB3 portable drives. But not the Toshiba 1TB drive, it still disconnected occasionally.

From Googling I found the disconnecting problem is common & vexing with USB3 portable drives on a lot of Win 7 & Win 8 computers. I tried turning off Win7's USB power control but it didn't help. Both my portable drives work fine on the Acer's USB2 ports but not at USB3 speed.

I read that the disconnecting problem might be due to the drives starving for power so I ordered a HooToo USB3 hub with its own power supply. That fixed it, the Toshiba USB3 drive now works reliably.

I hope other reviewers will comment on their experiences using portable USB3 hard drives on the Acer's USB3 ports.

==================

On 11 July I commented on someone else's review:

I just got mine and had to check on your comment about the one RAM slot. I took off the bottom cover and found one slot with a 4GB SODIMM, and a separate second RAM slot that's empty. I expected it to have two 2GB RAM sticks. Having just one 4GB stick and an empty slot is much better because upgrading only required buying one stick. Alas upgrading to 8GB didn't noticeably change performance. It was already doing fine with 4GB. If you do upgrade RAM use CPU-Z to check the specs of the supplied 4GB stick. I had to look around to find another that matched it. I bought CORSAIR Vengeance 4GB PC3 12800, Model CMSX4GX3M1A1600C9 and that works. It has the same high performance as the original RAM.

I was shocked to find this laptop has an empty bay for a second hard drive. There's no "caddy" to secure a second drive inside the bay but having the space and the SATA+power ports is very cool. (I found the caddy for $30 w/shipping at itec4less.com)

I also found the supplied 500GB hard drive is a Seagate Momentus Thin ST500LT012 5400 RPM with 16MB Cache. 16MB HDD cache in an inexpensive laptop is an unexpected nice surprise. Every laptop in this price range I've seen have HDD's with 8mb cache. The extra drive cache will be a welcome little performance boost.

Honest reviews on Acer Aspire NX.M34AA.005;ASV3-731-4634 17.3-Inch Laptop

I got this laptop for use as a full-time RV'er. It has Windows7!!! I already increased the RAM to 8gb (the max). I mainly use the computer for web browsing and record keeping; no games or video processing. Everything on the computer has worked great, so far. The built-in wifi is fast. I don't use the touch pad, I have a trackball which I use on the right side, where I am constantly bumping into the headphone plug-in. It would be nice to have some of the ports (USB, Mic, Headphones, etc) in the back and out of the way. Overall a nice computer for a good price.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer Aspire NX.M34AA.005;ASV3-731-4634 17.3-Inch Laptop

I purchased my Acer Aspire through Amazon for less than $500 and have no regrets, as it's well designed and even has a 'reader' slot for SD & other cards, to download photos, etc. I chose this Acer with Windows 7 (Premium Home edition) as it's far easier to navigate than Windows 8! I especially like the fact that it has LED backlighting for super sharp resolution. I chose this brand after talking to some computer specialists who believes this is one of the more reliable laptops on the market. So far so good, as I bought it early June. If you have the room, pay a little more than a smaller screen and get the 17.3-inch screen, as it's awesome.

Best Acer 15.6" Laptop 6GB 500GB + 24GB | R7-571-6858 Deals

Customer Ratings:

The ability to place the screen right behind the keyboard keys is what makes the touchscreen really user friendly. The keyboard placement itself is also easier on the hands for typing. I can see how reading pdf files in "tablet mode" will also be really helpful, especially for material with tables that are often too small to read. I didn't realize until just a few minutes ago that I can turn this machine on its side to get a "portrait mode" for reading documents. I will be using this in a classroom where the adjustability will come in handy to more easily access the screen while standing and while the computer is placed on a tv cart shelf that's at about counter height. I'm excited about this machine. I've got the features of my Note 8 tablet merged into a very cool laptop.

I purchased mine from Best Buy because I needed it right away to replace a 2-year old Lenova that's got a failing hard drive.

Update: You'll need a mouse for this thing because the touchpad is a little weird (for me anyway) and the touchscreen doesn't always work for certain links I've tried getting into or that are too awkwardly spaced to click on with accuracy. I still will keep the 5 star rating because this thing is still an awesome machine and the touchscreen has worked for most things that I do. I thought I'd have issue with the lack of a 10-key pad, but the touchscreen keypad has worked just fine for everything I've done so far. Still, it's something to consider for people who do tons of data entry.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

I love this laptop because the special Eazel hinge makes screen adjustment and positioning so, so comfortable. Just what I wanted in a convertible. I've had it about three months now. I went from a souped-up Lenovo laptop (ThinkPad series) to this. The R7's large 1080 touchscreen is simply gorgeous and just right for Windows 8.

The keyboard is backlit--a deal-breaker for me, which had knocked out some earlier convertibles (e.g. the Yoga). But it's true what people say about the keyboard's space button: it mis-strokes unless you learn to press it near the top of key, as opposed to lazily pressing near the bottom edge. So that's a slight adjustment I had to make as I began to use it.

Other than that, I love this laptop. Mainly b/c I work and play on it long hours and I move around as I do. The adjustable hinge allows the laptop to adjust to me---tilting the screen higher, lower, changing angles, coming forward towards me, back away from me---as I move around from sitting straight up, to more of a slouch, to laying down, whatever. *I SO HOPE ACER KEEPS THIS HINGE IN THEIR CONVERTIBLE DESIGNS*, but they probably won't b/c high powered reviewers squawked too much about the repositioned track pad. I never use the track pad and use the touchscreen + a wireless mouse instead (which can wire up on airplane if needed), so the track pad is a non-issue. I would trade the repositioned track pad for a more comfortable working and browsing experience any day. The components are standard-to-above for this price point. You get *a lot* for your money here.

Best Deals for Acer 15.6" Laptop 6GB 500GB + 24GB | R7-571-6858

Hey there,

I really dig the Acer Aspire R7. I love my tablet but wanted the full CPU power of a regular laptop and this is it. I did buy at Best Buy as they were much cheaper for some reason.

While investigating the R7 it was everything I was hoping for. Nice processor/RAM, touch screen, tablet convertible... perfect! I almost went with an ASUS "something or other" which was very nice but in comparing I discovered the R7 had the better screen resolution and the speakers on the R7 are quite good. I've never had a laptop with excellent speakers so that was an unexpected bonus.

I spoke with 3 Best Buy associates and they all tried to talk me out of the R7. They were quite adamant I might add. Here's why they didn't like the R7... The screen doesn't fold flat (true), the keyboard is in the front... That's it! They were horrified by the configuration.

Here's why their "dings" on the R7 were actually a benefit for me... I thought the keyboard in the front was brilliant! I always disable the touch pad because I end up deleting huge paragraphs of info without even realizing it. Even with auto save it's hard to get back info I typed 30 minutes ago that got highlighted and backspaced out of existence when I wasn't looking. Gah! Not with this rig! I can leave the touch pad on and jump on it as needed and it is never in the way. I have long fingers and I like to rest my hands in front of the keyboard, off of the laptop when typing. I wasn't sure how that was going to go but I found it to be a better typing experience on a table and in my lap. I'm thinking that some folks may not like the keyboard up front but it was an improvement for me.

Part 2 is the fact that the screen does not fold flat in the tablet configuration. I have to admit I was in the store 3 hours messing with the R7, comparing it to other convertibles and it did bother me but I decided it was still in a configuration I could use as a tablet anyway so I bought it. In reality the partly open tablet configuration turned out be be a bonus! Seriously!

With the slightly raised top it gives me a place to hold the computer without having to put my fingers on the screen. You can get a good grip too. Who knew? When I found myself carrying the R7 around the house with my music blaring and the sports/politics news updates running wild, I kinda smiled and realized that the gap at the top was a very lucky move by Acer. At least for me anyway. I can't imagine that was on purpose but who knows? The flat convertibles do look very slick with the flat fold down. If you need that look then by all means get the flat rig. However, once the functionality of the slightly open top comes into play when toting this rig around you will love it. Promise! :-)

Note that as a tablet the R7 does feel a little heavy. I am 6'5" 220 so I swing it around the house no problem but for the Shire folk (Hobbit reference for fun) or the lovely, dainty ladies this probably isn't your best bet if you are looking to carry it around like your tablet.

I'm not much of a gamer (I dabble just a little) but I'm thinking this wouldn't be great for that. However, video, audio, multitasking, ergonomics etc. are fantastic. The coolest (temperature-wise) running rig I've ever had by far. I like the thin profile. Note that the arm that holds the screen is very firm and sturdy. I was concerned that it would be "floppy" but it is quite the opposite. It feels very high quality.

No DVD bay. With that, I have needed to load software from a CD but so far I've found all the software online. So no problems there. I'm sure there could be something that is not online so we'll see how that goes if that occurs.

In summary, it's a nice laptop as performance goes. Very well rounded with the resolution and speakers. Nice high quality "feel." I mostly use it as a laptop (in my lap, sometimes on a table) and as a tablet about 2-3 times a week. Probably not a MMORPG rig but video, audio and the rest is outstanding. Plus, I think the chicks dig the flipping screen thing. They know who they are. :-)

If you agree with the keyboard/touch pad comments and the configuration comments, and looking for a nice convertible laptop I think you are going to love the R7 like I do. Best rig I've had by far.

Thank you,

Rob

Honest reviews on Acer 15.6" Laptop 6GB 500GB + 24GB | R7-571-6858

I purchased mine from best buy which is a few hundred dollars cheaper but I LOVE MY NOTEBOOK!!! My goal was to find something with the keyboard across the front edge and the tough pad in the back. This FLAW in every other laptop prevented me from purchasing another after the disaster of my first laptop. It's just more ergonomically correct to have the keyboard up front! Anyways, I'm using it now to write this review and as long as this machine runs, I can't see myself ever getting a different one!

The second best feature (after the wonderfully placed keyboard) is the tilt screen. It can really be used in "tablet" mode. Over all this is a wonderful product and I would gladly purchase it over and over again. And if I had a problem with any replacement, I'd buy it from a different seller!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer 15.6" Laptop 6GB 500GB + 24GB | R7-571-6858

ive never wrote a review before but I was really on the fence about this laptop for over 3 weeks.i read all the bad stuff ppl had to say bout losing connection. my worked fine right out the box.i love it I just wished I would have gotten it sooner.so don't believe all the hype ppl talk trash.thanks

HP Chromebook 14 (Sparkling Black) Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $299.99
Sale Price: $289.90
Today's Bonus: 3% Off

Awesome laptop once you know how Google products work in order to get the most out of this computer. I also like how quickly it boots up. It is also a perfect device for users who like cloud services. After researching this computer online, I found that Google Docs can be saved as a Word doc, can be used "offline", and I found all the necessary steps to reboot in case there is a problem with the OS, how to 'clean' the computer if necessary, and steps on how to add your own screensaver. There is a 'Get Started' app which takes the user through many important features for beginners. The keyboard feel as comfortable and easy on the fingers as my Windows PC. I love that updates are in the background so I would not have to be kicked out like in Windows based OS. I also like that security is built-in so that I don't have to purchase anti-virus/spyware/malware or set up nightly or weekly updates. The laptop is very light and I have no problems with brightness and the colors are vivid when watching movies. I have used my USB stick which houses all my Word docs and have had no problems accessing those files. I would definitely recommend this for those tired of Windows based OS!

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

Beautiful machine that is fast as lightning, I can't believe how rugged this feels compared to the smaller chromebooks. This machine is built to last with quality construction and a sturdy keyboard, it's not a cheap product at all. The functions perform flawlessly and can run numerous apps at once with zero lag, ZERO!!! The drawback is no optical drive, but I purchased through HP a USB multi drive and now the system is totally dialed in. I Love It! I can do any office app through Google office and I couldnt be happier.

Thanks HP for continuing to make kick ass products. I am a loyal HP fan for life. 2nd HP computer purchase this year and they just keep getting better! Good Job and great engineering!! Keep it up.

Best Deals for HP Chromebook 14 (Sparkling Black)

I bought from Best Buy and i'm absolutely in love with this lightweight OS. It does everything I need to do, as long as i'm on the 4G or connected to Wifi. It's a great laptop for browsing the web, doc. editing with Google Drive, and all in a very sleek, light design. Highly recommend this laptop running the GOOGLE CHROME OPERATING SYSTEM.

Honest reviews on HP Chromebook 14 (Sparkling Black)

I got this to replace a Samsung chromebook that was dropped.

I love the larger and brighter screen. It is much easier to read than the Samsung. It is a good weight too. Not to heavy.

It comes on very fast and I can browse the internet with speed!

It works with a chrome printer just fine and printer setup was a breeze!

I am very happy with this computer!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Chromebook 14 (Sparkling Black)

I will probably never buy another Windows machine. It is lightweight, boots fast, and battery is good. Love the screen size, it is just right. Net books are not for me. I wish it had a lighted keyboard and it doesn't play well with printers. I was going to order a cloud printer, but instead I used my old lap top with a busted screen and set it up as a print server to run with the lid closed using Google cloud print. Problem solved. Never have to worry about a virus and my stuff is synced into chrome. The free online storage plan is awesome. Google nails it again. Works great with chrome cast.

Enjoy!

Discount ASUS Ultrabook S400CA-DB51T 14-Inch Touchscreen Laptop

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $699.00
Sale Price: $659.99
Today's Bonus: 6% Off

Received this product this past week. Quick review of my current computers, 1) 10 inch Acer Netbook 2) 17" Dell(8.8lbs) laptop 3) Large desktop, not OEM, based on Asus Motherboard, 3770k and GTX 680sc with an Asus 3D monitor. This new ultrabook is intended to be used as a replacement for my current netbook and laptop. As stated above, at home I have a very powerful desktop that I use for my hobby which is photography and astronomy. So most of my uses for this computer will be for browsing the internet, minor photo editing while traveling, and to be used for controlling my telescope operations including tracking, picture taking and their temporary storage. I stated my current computers only to show what my expectations are for my new ultrabook. If it were to be my only computer used for the purposes as I stated here, I would not buy an Ultra book computer I would purchase an advanced laptop.

When preparing for the purchase I reviewed just about all of the 13.3 and 14 ultra books sold by Amazon. I reduced my choices to Acer, Sony and Asus. I think you cannot go wrong with any of these three ultra books so it boils down to what my use will be for a portable/lightweight computer versus cost.

Size was my first requirement! As you can see I have been using both a small netbook and a large laptop. My eyes are not liking the screen on the 10" and my legs and back are not liking the weight of the 17.3" laptop so those sizes are out. So the choice comes down to the 13.3, the 14 or the 15.6. I immediately threw out the 15.6 even though they now are much lighter than my 17.3, but the footprint was too large for me. In deciding between the 13.3 and the 14, I considered for my use, that the very little difference in weight between the two Touch ultra books led me to decide on the larger (less than 1/2 my current laptop's weight) versions of the products.

Having decided on size my first choice would have been the Sony. I think, theoretically anyway, the chasis (build quality) of the Sony would be superior to the other two. So why did I not buy the Sony? In the end my decision along with size was based also on the CPU, Operating System, Hard Drive/SSD, keyboard and my budget, or as some would say "Bang for Your Buck".

On CPUs, it would have been nice to have a generation 4, but the premium on a current generation 4 was price prohibitive for me. So the choices boiled down to generation 3 Intel processors. One being a slower i7, Variations of the i5 and a non hyper threaded i3. I ruled out, right or wrong, both the i7 and the i3. So the processors for me came down to the Intel i5 (hyper threaded) 3317 and the 3337. I opted for the newer Q1 2013 release version, Intel i5 3337.

Hard Drives. In juggling cost and performance I decided that I wanted the old school hard drive and the new school SSD combo for start up and browsing speed. As for hard drives and their effect on my choice, I considered it a non-factor as all three manufacturers offered the same technology and size which I preferred.

Keyboard was my second to last consideration. I was not totally happy with my Acer netbook keyboard and since the only manufacturer that stated the keyboard used was Asus, right or wrong I gave the edge there to the them. It is unfortunate that I do not have a supplier close enough to me to do an in store assessment, but unfortunately I do not.

So my ultimate decision on buying the ASUS is based on the Bang for Your Buck (value) assessment, my recent history with their motherboards and monitors and Amazon being the supplier. I know if I really fouled up on my decision, Amazon would in some way bail me out.

So in the end did I make the right decision? So far, and emphatic YES would be the answer. I would also answer that the claims for start up time/sleep times as stated were fairly accurate. Actually start up was superior to my desktop which uses a Samsung 256GB SSD for start/operating system storage, which did surprise me. The screen although not an "Ultra High" high definition monitor, it does do it's job in the 14" format. I do not think it would be as acceptable for me in the 15.6" or 17.3". I have not seen the problem someone else stated about the intensity-brightness of the monitor. It is plenty bright for me in the "Balance or Power4gear High Performance" settings. The keyboard was as advertised with a good, properly placed home key dimples on the F and J keys which is important for me on a non back lit keyboard. It has a good feel to it with a nice emphatic stroke. As most keypads are, it is sensitive and from time to time I go somewhere that I did not intend to go. I have not had a touch screen before so I consider myself in a learning mode. My biggest problem on the touch screen and for that mater the computer, is Windows 8. After years of use of XP and Windows 7 I feel lost a lot of the time. Without a start button, at first I even had problems shutting down the computer properly. I hope that as others have stated, it takes a while getting used to Windows 8. I only hope they are right. On battery life, I have not achieved their approximate 5 hour run time, yet. Am currently cycling from full charge to zero charge several times to cycle the battery for optimum performance, then I will run a test to see what I should expect for cycle time in the future. As far as the onboard fan and the heating up of the bottom of the ultra-book, I can barely hear the fan come on in a totally quiet room. Others have noted that units from Asus' competitors have fans being offensively loud. On the heating up of the cabinet. Compared to my laptop and netbook the heat on the bottom is very tolerable. I can sit it on my legs for hours without fear of burning my legs. Almost no heat up at all. The actual weight of the computer as measured on my kitchen scale was 4 pounds 2 1/4 ounces.

Sorry for the long windedness of my statement here. If you have specific questions about this ultrabook please post here and I will do my best to give you the answer you seek.

8/19/13 Update. The battery cycling that I tried did not increase the time of use between charges. I would use 3.5 hours when planning use. Of course the operating time is greatly dependent on the power settings you use.

For those who are interested in the Windows Experience numbers. Below is the best numbers I have achieved by maximizing the power for performance.

Processor-6.9

Memory/Ram-7.4

Graphics-5.5

Gaming Graphics-6.4

Primary Hard Disk-6.6

9/12/13 Update. A couple of weeks ago I increased the RAM from 6GB to 8GB(maximum allowable). I really cannot tell any appreciable difference in performance during normal use. However I have not tried any photo/video editing or some obscene amount of open windows, at least not yet. On the Windows Experience, the only change was a 0.1 increase in the Graphics Number.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

This is my fourth ASUS product (the most recent purchase before this one was the G74SX gaming/desktop replacement laptop), and I've generally been happy with them. This is my first touch-screen enabled unit, something I was only mildly interested in but I actually quite like (though I'm hoping Windows 8.1 brings some much needed improvements to the currently somewhat incoherent user experience).

PROS:

The body of the laptop is made of either a light aluminum or a very strong plastic; it feels really solid, and doesn't flex or creak at all, no matter how you hold it.

It's whisper quiet, even under load. I occasionally hear the fan whir up, but it's the difference between dead silence, and the kind of sound you have to stop breathing to hear.

Windows installed on the SSD is glorious; it boots and resumes very quickly!

The keyboard is very well spaced; I have sausage fingers, so the chicklet keys with about 2-3mm of space between them is pretty easy for me to type on. (I'd read other reviews complaining about the keyboard, so I didn't expect much, but it's actually rather good, at least for me. I can sustain about 70-80WPM on it, and am typing this review with it right now.)

The touchpad isn't made of glass like on the MacBook series, but it's almost as smooth. It's actually quite big and really nice to use. The button clicks feel nice and solid, thought I prefer to tap instead of click, so I don't use the button part of the pad much. YMMV there.

The body is pretty thin (not MacBook Air thin, but not MacBook Air *priced* either!), and the black/charcoal on silver scheme is pretty sweet looking, kinda Star Trek-ey.

The power adapter, yes! It resembles a slightly larger iPad charger; it's a square brick with folding plug pins instead of a separate cord, which I like. It's not very long (about 8 feet?) but it is certainly long enough. The brick is also about the same thickness as a standard plug, so it won't hog up 2 spaces like a wall-wart. There's also a velcro strap to keep it all neat, which is nice!

Performance wise, I haven't noticed any lag, excessive wait times, or anything not working right. It's zippy, and while it's no gaming machine, it does what it does really well!

CONS

The only thing I can say I'm not a huge fan of right now is the weight. It's not a large laptop (it's not tiny either, but I digress), so it seems like it should weigh a little less; I think the touchscreen adds a bit of bulk (glass instead of plastic), but it's an okay trade

off. It's not EXTREMELY heavy, just a bit unexpectedly so. Not a deal breaker unless you plan on walking around with it in one hand while typing with the other.

Overall, I'm really happy with this as my "traveling" machine. Solid, well built, performs well, and, oh! Surprise surprise... the most minimal amount of crapware I've every seen in a new laptop! I literally uninstalled one thing: McAfee Internet Security. That's it. (Windows 8 comes with Defender, which is actually a beefed-up version of the old Microsoft Security Essentials, and has the same user interface. No need to buy any more AV stuff as it does the job just fine, especially because I work in Network Security, and thus have a bit keener of an eye toward malware and other threats :)

If you're on the fence, don't be. It's a great little lappy.

Best Deals for ASUS Ultrabook S400CA-DB51T 14-Inch Touchscreen Laptop

Just got my new Asus notebook and I am pleasantly surprised. It seems to be as well crafted as an Apple MacBook Pro (for 1/3 the price) and while I'm still getting used to Windows 8, I'm not hating it so far, though it will take some getting used to. Fortunately, the desktop icon gets you to familiar Windows 7 turf. Unfortunately, getting Windows XP to run in a virtual environment for some of my older software seems like an impossibility without purchasing Windows 8 Pro, as well as an XP license a major hassle that I will forgo as I can access such programs on my desktop running Windows 7.

The machine is fast and for the price point, it really seems like a good buy. The touch screen is very cool, but my instincts are to use the keyboard and mouse pad both of which are responsive and have a nice feel. After lugging around an ~8 lb. Lenovo ThinkPad, this machine is going to be a lot easier on my shoulder (~4.4 lbs.).

Getting up and running went very smoothly. The machine does not have a DVD drive, but I was able to copy my MS Office 2010 and Adobe Pro discs onto a flash drive and install them off that without a hitch. Haven't attempted to install my Oracle software, which is always a bear, so I have something to look forward to.... The machine comes pre-loaded with many superfluous "Apps" a lot of which seem geared for kids, but it seems pretty easy to delete them. There are also some programs pre-installed, but not as many as I am accustomed to on new machines and they appear to be necessary for the machine's operation so I am reluctant to delete.

Haven't played with all the bells and whistles, but so far I'm pleased with my purchase.

Honest reviews on ASUS Ultrabook S400CA-DB51T 14-Inch Touchscreen Laptop

I'm an engineer student and I wanted a portable laptop for around a budget of $750. I got it off B&H for around $650 with free shipping and taxes. I am very happy with the purchase, the sound is loud and crisp, the touchpad/keyboard are solid, and the build of the laptop is just sexy. I would definitely compare it to an apple pro/air but just cheaper + touch screen. I'm not a heavy touch screen user but it is fun to play with sometimes.

Some problems/fixes:

*I had some problems with the sound, it would stutter and buzz during songs. However, after uninstalling McAfee everything worked fine. Just use Windows Defender, its light on resources and effective.

*I tried connecting a mouse a few times, and the touchpad would turn off. After disconnecting the mouse the touchpad wouldn't turn back on (Ahhh touchscreen finally became necessary!) but turns out if you press the blue diamond button on the top right of the screen, there is an option to turn on/off the trackpad.

*If you're like me and accidently tap the touchpad a lot and it acts like a click, look in your taskbar for trackpad options and you can disable and enable all the touchpad "shortcuts"

The computer is fast, the 6gb RAM really complements the laptop well, the brightness is good and the battery life is around 3.5 hours+ (I played music then and watched a movie, so maybe a little more if lighter usage).

The webcam is 720p, the fps isn't very high but its totally fine for video calls etc.

The laptop is also quite light.

I personally did not like Windows 8, but I heard Windows 8.1 might fix a lot of the problems. *Make sure to download the desktop version of your favorite apps (chrome etc.) instead of the app version if you want to use the desktop (made a huge difference) The sleep/wake times are very fast just as advertised. The laptop stays cool and very quiet.

Cons:

The screen is glossy and reflective, I wouldn't recommend using it outside, and even inside it still reflects a little.

Fingerprints stay on the outside of the laptop and are pretty visible. I'm currently researching to find some sort of coating to avoid this. The trackpad button gives a pretty loud click, and is also very sensitive to your fingers texture, sometimes scrolling is very smooth and sometimes it is a chompy depending on the texture of your fingers at that moment. (moisturize your hands? lol)

I will update as I start using it for college. I do recommend it for someone looking for a sleek, sexy laptop that will get your basic work done, enjoy multimedia, and looking for great value. Asus is known for making their products in high quality, and they've finally mastered their element of design to make this machine run smoothly both in hardware and software.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ASUS Ultrabook S400CA-DB51T 14-Inch Touchscreen Laptop

This laptop seems fairly solid and well made. Maybe not a macbook pro but not too far off.

Seems fast enough for most tasks including watching HD video which it handles without issues (as it should given the spec)

I think it would be a great laptop for students on a budget but want something that will last.

I'm used to Dell Latitudes and IBM Thinkpads and while it's not quite up to that level of ruggedness it is better than most other laptops I've seen and held. It also weighs less than the Dells and Thinkpads I've had.

The RJ45 Ethernet jack is built into the right side and has a little flip down bottom which I suspect will be susceptible to breaking off

If I could change things:

keyboard backlight would be nice

a hardware volume control takes two fingers to change the volume

move the indicator lights to under the screen. where they are now they are blocked by my right wrist

had an options for Windows 7. Windows 8 is much worse than I expected and I didn't have high hopes to start with.

it shipped with a install CD for Windows ( not sure if anyone still does this)

UPDATE 7/30/2013: Using it outdoors today, the lack of anti-reflective coating was, not surprisingly, very noticeable. That is the trade-off with a glossy display like this one has. You get crisper text and more color pop in images but the display reflects every light in the room.

I'm still thrilled at the fast wake-up from sleep time that the machine provides.

Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core i3-2367M Reviews

Customer Ratings:

I actually purchased both the Toshiba Z830 and the Asus UX31 so I could decide for myself which one I liked the best. Both come with a 128GB solid-state hard drive and 4GB RAM. The Asus has an i5 processor while the Toshiba (which costs $100-200 less) has an i3 processor. Here's what I liked and what I didn't like:

Appearance

The Asus with its spiral design is gorgeous. The Toshiba is boring gun-metal gray with sharp corners.

Winner: Asus

Weight

The Asus is heavier than the Toshiba by a half-pound. As a result, the Toshiba's display has some flex to it and will wobble if the laptop is bumped. In the end, however, I can deal with this. That half-pound is something I can really feel when I'm carrying the laptop around.

Winner: Toshiba

Speed

The i5 processor in the Asus easily beats the i3 processor in the Toshiba I purchased. Of course, you always have the option of purchasing a Toshiba online with the faster processor.

Winner: Asus

Touchpad

The Asus I purchased came with a Sentelic touchpad. The latest driver (ver. 9177) stinks and results in the mouse jumping all over the place. I finally had to uninstall it and rely on the built-in Windows 7 touchpad driver (which meant I had to give up gestures like scrolling). Newer versions of the UX31 apparently ship with a far improved Elan touchpad. The touchpad on my Toshiba is significantly smaller with shiny chrome buttons that pick up fingerprints but it's so far superior to the Sentelic in terms of its functionality. Furthermore, there's a button just about the Toshiba touchpad that allows you to enable or disable it.

Winner: Toshiba

Keyboard

Too many times, I found I had to hit keys on the Asus multiple times before I got them to register. Not so on the Toshiba. Furthermore, the Toshiba's keyboard is wider which allows it to have dedicated Home, End, PgUp, and PgDn keys on the far right. On the Asus, I have to hold down the FN key. Finally, the Toshiba's keyboard is backlit, a very nice touch.

Winner: Toshiba

Display

The Asus has a gorgeous 1600x900 resolution screen. The Toshiba comes with a commonplace 1366x768 display.

Winner: Asus

Ports

The Toshiba has built-in connections for Ethernet, external VGA monitor, and HDMI. The Asus ships with dongles for Ethernet and VGA but requires you to purchase a micro-HDMI adapter separately. Furthermore, the Toshiba has 1 USB3 port and 2 USB2 ports while the Asus only has 1 and 1. Obviously, the Toshiba wins hands down for its plentiful built-in ports.

Winner: Toshiba

AC Adapter

The Asus AC adapter is small and lovingly designed. The Toshiba adapter is bulky and unwieldy by comparison.

Winner: Asus

System indicator lights

The Toshiba has an entire array of useful indicator lights just below the touchpad. The Asus has a couple spread across the keyboard.

Winner: Toshiba

Accessories

The Asus ships with a padded sleeve. The Toshiba doesn't.

Winner: Asus

Heat and Fan Noise

With an updated BIOS in each machine, heat and fan noise was not a problem for me.

Winner: Tie

Speakers

Both sets of speakers are nice and loud, but the Asus Bang & Olufsen speakers sound better.

Winner: Asus

Battery

The Toshiba edged out the Asus by about an hour or so.

Winner: Toshiba

The Toshiba Z830/Z835 is easily my laptop of choice. Granted, it's slower than the Asus, but not noticeably considering how I plan to use it.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

-Only an i3. We don't plan on doing any heavy lifiting on this laptop, as long as it plays Netflix fine, we'll be okay.

-Incredibly light. Almost too light for the size. But solid feeling.

-Keyboard backlight isn't too bright or too dim. Was a big factor for me personally, I want a backlight in my keyboard.

-Keyboard is just about perfect for both of us. It's about as wide as can be. Not too shallow.

Reviews I've seen have mentioned flimsy hinges (not a factor given the way we open and close by default), poor color quality (haven't noticed anything odd, again, main use is just internet browsing/movie watching), slow SSD (as far as I'm concerned it's better than a HDD).

The keyboard on this ultrabook is slightly recessed, you can see it in sideshots. When the lid is closed, it does flex some due to that gap. I don't think it's a big deal but it's definitely something to be aware of.

At night when there's no other noise, the low-pitched hum of the fan *really* gets to me. When I have the fan by my ear, the fan sounds normal, but when it's on my lap, it's just... the pitch or the volume or something is just right to where it annoys me.

To its credit, I haven't yet felt the wristrest/keyboard area get warm.

Best Deals for Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core i3-2367M

I was very close to picking up an ASUS ultrabook that looked amazing before I decided to head over to my local electronics place and try it out for myself. After not being a fan of the ASUS keyboard and trackpad, I decided to try this ultrabook out.

Pros

--The keyboard and trackpad are great. Both components have a really nice feel to them. The backlit keyboard looks very catchy, and gives a nice level of feedback.

--Super lightweight. Very sleek look to it. I LOVE the look and feel.

--Battery life is pretty good for such a tiny system.

--Fast! Although other reviewers have mentioned they aren't doing much heavy-lifting on this ultrabook, and neither am I. I guess if you're crunching huge numbers of datasets, this might not be the unit for you. (To that other reviewer, what does "heavy word-processing" mean? Does that mean having 40 documents open, or typing at 500 words per minute, or what?)

--Has a USB 3.0 port, which is great because it's something like 10x as fast as USB 2.0

Cons

--no optical drive. While software is increasingly available online, this may pose an issue to someone not prepared for this. It is compatible with most external CD/DVD drives.

--"annoying hum" is pretty accurate. The fan is constantly whirring. I usually lay on my bed while browsing, and just breathing moves the ultrabook up/down makes the whirring pitch change, which isn't nice.

--integrated graphics card. That probably sounds neat, but that just means the graphics card is built into the motherboard... which means it's lower-performing. Not great for gamers.

--lacks the neat features that Lenovo offers (laptop "airbag", fingerprint reader, etc)

In general, I still think this is a 5 star item. I love the price and for such a lightweight and tiny laptop, I think Toshiba did a fantastic job. Glad I bought one (and another for my mom).

Honest reviews on Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core i3-2367M

I bought this unit from Toshiba Direct, they are courteous and try to help.

There was a lot to like about it, but the fan noise is really an unresolved problem. I now see this problem can be seen all over the internet. Toshiba tech support stated they are unaware of the problem. The fan actually makes a "fluttering whine" sound, which never turns off from the moment the machine is turned on. So it seems they did not even design the unit to allow the thermostat to turn the fan off when not needed---which is most of the time, for my non-intensive needs. Other notebooks are smart enough to perform this basic feat.

The noise is annoying, at best. Furthermore, it transmits mechanically right into the built-in microphone, making the use of Skype distracting to both parties.

I went to Best Buy, to see if it was just my machine. Their display machine noise was not nearly as loud as mine, but still very much there, as compared to non-existent in the other ultra-books (Samsung and Asus).

The screen is also very fussy about viewing angle, especially compared to the Samsung. You will notice that you often have the top of the screen at the sweet spot, and then the bottom is starting to fade, or vice-versa. I have seen this problem on other comparable screens, to be fair.

The choice was clear: Gamble on swapping this unit with the same replacement, with possibly less noise, or move on and just return it. I finally decided I could not live with this crazy noise, so I bought the Samsung Series 9 at Best Buy. Compared the two side-by side for a week. My suggestion: Pay the extra 200 bucks. There is no comparison in almost every respect (except connectivity, which Toshiba has done a great job with.) The Samsung is something of a masterpiece, with a screen that puts the others to shame (including the higher res Asus, due to Samsung's incomparable contrast ratio and viewing angle.)

When I called Toshiba to return the computer, they were very courteous, and the lady said my phone call was the 2nd one she had gotten that day regarding fan noise---finally a little acknowledgement!

In a noisy room, you would not notice this noise, and not everyone is as neurotic about noise as I am. But in a library, I imagine you might very well be approached by people who are not sympathetic to your little notebook.... :)

Good luck with your decisions!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Toshiba Portege Z835-P330 13.3" Laptop (Intel Core i3-2367M

I am a computer scientist, I bought this computer with the intention of using it for my job. I needed a light and responsive computer that would allow me to program on-the-go without needing a power cord everywhere I go.

Generally I am not picky with computers, my previous laptop was an HP from 8 years ago, anything I bought today would be better than that. When the computer arrived I noticed a couple things upfront. The screen was incredibly flimsy. You can really wobble it with light touches to its sides. The screen also feels incredibly cheap, its easy to twist and bend it. That alarmed me at first, since most of these Ultrabook's screens have an really thin glass behind them. This glass is incredibly fragile, and having a screen casing this cheap seemed like a recipe for disaster. I decided that engineers at Toshiba knew better and would not be so stupid as to commit such egregious design mistake. I was wrong.

The first two weeks with the Portege were awesome. The low depth keyboard allows for faster and more natural typing. The trackpad is ok, nothing special. The buttons on the trackpad resemble a computer from the early 2000's but who cares. The keyboard backlight was awesome. The camera looks weird as the camera hole is a bit too big, but no big deal I'm not displaying my computer on a fashion show, I'm writing code. The hinges are bad. They are way too weak and make the screen wobble way too easily. This is horrible if you're on a train as it won't stop shaking. Now I understand why the hinges are so weak. If they were stronger, the pressure that they would put on the screen when the lid is opening would be too much, possibly cracking the screen (keep in mind that the screen bends, so it would bend too much). Another thing the bothered me was that the screen has weird angles. If you don't look from the right spot, the edges get a little lighter. You can't really see too much from the side as the screen reflects a lot. Despite all that I was happy with it during the first weeks, the computer was getting my job done. The SSD was great. The keyboard was quick. The USBs plentiful, and the fan noise didn't bother me too much. I wasn't too worried with durability as I don't usually travel.

However, one day I wake up and go to work. When I open my computer I see a one inch crack on the screen. Keep in mind that I didn't drop it, or hit it with anything. I suspect something on the screen failed and blew causing the thin glass behind the screen crack (there is a small melting mark where the crack starts). As the day goes by, due to the flimsiness of the screen, the crack only gets bigger. By the end it has reached the other end of the screen, making 50% of my screen unusable. This is the cheapest laptop screen that I have owned. I never had a laptop where a part just fails, or bends. In fact I once dropped a 5 pound weight on my Sony Vaio's screen, and I lost a row of pixels, not half of my screen. I was disappointed.

Anyway, I call support and of course the warranty doesn't really cover anything, but this is standard I wasn't expecting it too.

Now I'm searching for a new Ultrabook to buy. If you are looking for one too, may I suggest the HP Folio or Envy or Spectre. Also take a look at the Samsung's, they don't seem bad. Frankly though, the only truly stable and time tested Ultrabook in the marked at the moment is the Macbook Air and I'm no Apple fan.

In summary:

PROS

Light

Good keyboard

SSD

Ok Processor

Thin

CONS

Weak screen

Flimsy screen

Cheaply built

Noisy Fan

Weak hinges

Weird screen angles

... It's just not a well designed laptop

I suggest you stay away from the Portege and Toshiba for that matter. The Ultrabook market is new, stick to the pioneers. You'll be better off paying 200 buck more for something that lasts.

BTW: Regarding that first 5 star review. Do you really think you're going to buy a new screen after yours breaks? Let's face it buying a product where you know something is going to fail is plain stupid. I fixed computers for years, replacing a screen takes time, 1 or two hours depending on the model. Usually the thinner the harder. Moreover, screens are not always available, usually you order and wait until they get to stock, that might take months. Unless you have nothing else to do in your life this might be a good strategy. For me, where my computer is crucial for my job, that is unfeasible.