Discount HP Envy 4-1130us 14-Inch Ultrabook (Black)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $849.99
Sale Price: $729.87
Today's Bonus: 14% Off

Screen: My last laptop was a late 2011 macbook pro. Other reviews are saying that the screen is bad and some are saying it's good. Compared to the screen on the macbook it's worse. The screen isn't terrible but it isn't going to win any awards.

Keyboard: The keyboard layout is similar to the mac. The keys light up but don't change intensity. The backspace key doesn't quite fit right. Depending on the angle you type at you may notice it when typing.

Processing: I don't know why other reviews say this laptop is only for light workloads. This i5 processor in this laptop is fully capable of heavy workloads. It can run super pi 1 mb faster than an AMD FX-8320 desktop processor. On more realistic tests its about the same as the mobile AMD A10 processors. Power usage however is much lower for the i5 compared to either processor.

Graphics: The integrated graphics in the Ivy-Bridge processors is amazing. Its no graphics card but for the efficiency its perfect.

Sound: The beats audio isn't meant to blow you away. The main benefit is the sound card driver for beats audio is not the speakers itself. With beats audio the sound quality with headphones is great!

Build/Design: This laptop is built really well. HP did a great job on the design. It's small and lightweight while not feeling cheap or sacrificing on battery. (Actually battery life is around 5-6 hours depending on usage and after removing all of HP's bloatware) The black aluminum looks really cool as long as it's clean. This thing attracts shows smudges and lint more than anything I've ever seen.

To help the washed out look of the screen try the following:

1. Right click on the desktop

2. Select "Graphics Properties"

3. Display/Color Enhancement

4. Use the sliders to change:

a. Brightness 10

b. Contrast 45

c. Gamma 0.8

d. Saturation 5

5. Apply

This does reduce overall brightness but you will get much darker blacks and a wider range of color differences. Gradients appear much better and text is much more clear.

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The fit/finish of the laptop is amazing. Very solid, reminds me of my Macbook Pro. Has all the ports I was looking for including gigabit Ethernet. (Excluded on the XPS 13 and why I choose HP) Boot times are the fastest I've seen in any laptop thanks to Windows 8 and the hybrid SSD drive. 10 seconds and your ready to launch applications.

So why only 3 stars? The Screen.... After you get over the lovely fit/finish and start the laptop your greeted to a screen with noticeable back-light bleed. Blacks appear grey and the viewing angle is extremely limited. This screen belongs on a $350 Black Friday special not an "Envy". If you can keep your angle just right the screen looks decent but having used far better screens on laptops 3-4 years older I was very disappointed. It's also worth noting the only thing inspired by the "Beats" logo is the paint. Expect below average sound from the built in speakers.

Best Deals for HP Envy 4-1130us 14-Inch Ultrabook (Black)

This is a very elegant and very useful for those who don't need a computer that performs heavy tasks and uses heavy programs. Windows 8 is complicated but it's matter of time for you to get used to it. This windows is really fast, actually when you turn it on it takes only 10-11 seconds to get ready for start using the computer. I agree with the other customer that says that there's no problem with the screen; despite it is a glossy screen the colors are so vivid and you can see it perfectly from any angle, it's quality is great not cheap as others said. The price was worth it, I would recommend it highly for students and people who needs it for light tasks. It's weigh is ridiculously light and I like the soft color red base it has. The beats audio is impressive for an audio system of a computer, it also has the option of configurate the audio for a best hearing experience. There's a concern I have is the response of the touch pad because not always senses when you click to open something or when clicking a button but you will get used to click a little more harder for it to response. In the other features I am more than happy with this computer. Also I don't like very much that it catches fingerprints very fast but this doesn't affect the real functionality of a computer.

To conclude, this computer has a great outer design, great beats audio, really light weigh and it's incredibly fast at everything. It has a few flaws but it doesn't affect the computer's performance. I recommend it!

Honest reviews on HP Envy 4-1130us 14-Inch Ultrabook (Black)

I've searched for a couple of months, to find another slim and light laptop with equivalent power and options as this model, and nothing has equaled or surpassed this Envy 4 1130us. In short, it's the best value machine at this price point.

Just look up the Win 7 version of this model, here on Amazon (Envy 4 1030us), and you'll find that it is an identical machine, only with 2 gigs less ram, and it sells for $100+ more.

So let's get to the important facts about this machine.

POWER & SPEED.

The combination of the Intel i5's power and the SSD and 500 gig hard drive RAID array, along with the much improved Windows 8 mass storage controllers, makes this machine blistering fast. Bear in mind that just like any other brand or model of new laptop, it has to be tweaked to perform as it should (tweaking will have to be covered later or this review will be a mile long).

I repair and tweak computers, day in day out and this is the fastest one I've had my hands on, except a Windows 7, $1,300 Dell XPS laptop that had an Intel i7 and a big SSD. I don't have it next to me to compare, but that would be the only machine that may have equaled or surpassed this one for performance.

SCREEN.

The screen is fine. Those who are complaining about it are expecting more than you can get at this price point. If you'd like the image to be even crisper and sharper, there are a few adjustments that can be made. (I may add those details as a PS at the end)

CONSTRUCTION.

Those who complained about poor construction, must have received defective models. The construction of this model is nothing less than superb. The only complaint is that fingerprints stick to it and it means that you'll have to wipe it down everyday, with a damp cotton cloth. The brushed aluminum build is fantastic and makes for a very solid machine.

KEYBOARD.

Everybody has an opinion as to what constitutes the perfect keyboard, so all I can say is that it is clearly a superior keyboard and that having the backlit feature is huge, for those folks who are not real typists, and need to see the keys to be able to type properly.

TOUCHPAD.

If you understand that this touchpad is set to work as if it were part of a touchscreen, thus scrolling up becomes down and vice versa, then you'll quickly get used to it and will soon agree that it is one of the very best on the market.

WINDOWS 8,

For those who don't already know it, Win 8 can be made to look and function just like 7, by downloading Start Menu 8 from iobit, then disabling all the charms bars and hot corners. It's only natural that I/you/we would want it to work like 7, as this model doesn't have a touchscreen, so why in the world would we want to use Win 8's new touchscreen interface (often known as Metro apps). Other than some graphics differences, it's so identical to Win 7 after the tweak mentioned above, that to the untrained eye, you wouldn't even know that it wasn't a Win 7 machine.

BATTERY LIFE.

It's simply amazing. Right now, I'm at 84% remaining battery power and the time estimate is at 5 hours and 14 minutes. I could turn down the brightness, to squeeze out some more, but it is already good for 6 hours plus, set the way it is (don't forget that this machine is well tweaked, so brand new out of the box, the battery life won't be quite as good).

HEAT.

It can produce a minor amount of heat at the back where the air exhausts. Laying the sides on each one of my legs, is 100% comfortable on battery. If you have it plugged in and it's charging, it will get warmer and may be a wee bit uncomfortable.

This laptop must NOT be used on material like cloth, a bed, a towel, etc, that can block the air intake from the bottom. If you need to use it in such a location, prop it up a bit with something.

WIFI.

I have never seen a laptop with better reception, nor one that can download as fast. If I go to a given website to download a file with any of my other computers, they download at approx. half the speed than this one does. I haven't investigated why this is, but suffice to say that it is better than what is normally included in a laptop.

All the features have been mentioned, so there's no reason to go over them again.

It's a simple mathematical equation. Does this machine give you more than similar ones at this price point? YES!

Is it super fast? Darn right it is!

Is the battery life good? It's superb!

How good is the Wifi? Beyond your expectations!

Is it well built? It's fantastic!

Is it a good looking machine? It's as handsome a laptop as I have ever seen!

Would it satisfy any normal user? Absolutely!

________________________________________________

Here are the settings that make for a sharper image on this laptop.

I found them somewhere on the internet and noted them down, then both my friend and I used them on our Ultrabooks (we both have the same machine) and we both feel that the results are excellent.

You may or may not agree and if they don't suit you, you can reset them back to their default settings.

Right click on the desktop and select "Graphics Properties".

In the subsequent window, select "Advanced Mode" then hit OK.

In the next windows, select "Color Enhancement", then set the Brightness to -20. the Contrast to 51 and the Gamma to 0.9 and leave the other two untouched.

You will find that the brightness is slightly diminished, but that the image is much more "real".

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Envy 4-1130us 14-Inch Ultrabook (Black)

Everything is good except the screen. I'll not comment on other features because all of them function so far so good.

I have a HP G7 which screen has resolution 1600x900. So comparing with this (1366 x 768) I feel the Ultrabook is not better or even worse than the G7 regarding the screen. This Ultrabook is beautiful but the screen is disappointing. Currently $750 ultrabook is not as cheap as the others with better config but at the same price level.

The previous reviewer said the screen looks bleeding (too much red). It is true but the color can be calibrated (Personalize->Display->Calibrate Color). The color should have been calibrated properly when come out of factory. As he said the view angle is bad. I believe HP chose the cheapest screen on the market.

Update:

Comparing to other same kind of ultrabooks this design is attractive. Very good look&feel on real product.

What I disagree with the previous reviewer is that the beats audio is impressive. It is loud and has deep base although it is not a professional audio system which you cannot expect on a laptop.

The keyboard and touch panel are quite good quiet and responsive.

Best HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition 17.3" Laptop - 2nd generation Intel Deals

Customer Ratings:

The service of the seller is just EXCELLENT.

In the other hand you get the power of a Desktop in a 17" laptop. The best laptop under 1000$ for gamers, I'm playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 with Graphics settings in "High" @1600x900 and it runs Smooth, the HP beats audio sounds very nice for a laptop, the webcam is great also the fingerprint.

Contras: No bluethooth, limited memory card reader, the display need more contrast, need more quick access buttons.

If u have 1000$ and need a new Laptop, this is the right choice.

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First of all, I didn't buy this from Amazon's site...Had it built at HP. It's difficult to buy something (like a computer) from an incomplete description. The overall build of this computer is quite nice and the only thing that gets negative is the missing HP support software and no set up instructions????Contacted them and they agreed to send a set up/boot disc at no charge ( so I upgraded my review to 4 stars.)

That said, if I graded this outright on performance, it gets 5 stars. Very solid build, nice wide screen, and 2 year warranty on hardware and tech support.

tech support;

This is where the jury may still be out. HP has a rather dubious history in the support department. You know, the usual outsourced support you get connected to. The ones that read a script in "almost understandable" English. (but who do you buy from nowadays that offers straight up tech support?) They do have "HP Support Assistant" software that is generally installed on new computers. I have it on my HP desktop and it is very useful and helpful. This was left out on this laptop for some reason (was able to download it at the HP site).

So the key here is to get it right the first time and spend less time and money on dissatisfied customers. You also need to foolproof your system enough to allow a novice (me) to be able to use your product right out of the box...hence give them good, easy to follow instructions and follow it up with non subcontracted support. Americans can read from a script and their English is so much easier to understand. What are we now, 9.5% unemployed ?

Fortunately, I was able to contact an American HP case worker to get some assistance that actually listened to my issues and then asked what she could do to help/resolve my problem. (it is noted that the lack of set up documentation and initially no HP Support software, setup disc, or written set up instructions for/on the computer caused some anguish that could have been avoided) So 4 stars for what looks to be a 5 star machine.

reliability also still not confirmed...See you in a year or two for an update on this

add; I believe HP is moving forward and may be progressing towards better customer satisfaction. As for their computer builds? Well, this is still to be determined, but a equivalent Dell computer costs more and their reliability and support have fallen off considerably in the last decade.

Best Deals for HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition 17.3" Laptop - 2nd generation Intel

Display is bright and crisp.

Laptop is sturdy, feels solid.

Keyboard is comfortable, and solid.

Touchpad is a bit finicky, but not so much that it's annoying. Barely noticeable.

Battery life is good for a product of this size/brightness.

Beats Audio is a dream.

Webcam is passable.

If you're looking for a fast and affordable desktop replacement, this is the machine you want.

Honest reviews on HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition 17.3" Laptop - 2nd generation Intel

I bought this model refurbished in July. It has been nothing but headaches. There are fundamental problems with the BIOS and the HP software installed. I bought the laptop July 2012. According to the BIOS, the warranty on the laptop had been issued in April, but by July it was already out of warranty. HP intends for you to buy their computer care monthly program. The HP software has numerous problems and conflicts with Windows 7 updates, leading to many system crashes.

I purchased the recovery disks for HP after the first system crash. That recovered the laptop for a few weeks. But the BIOS error remains. The HP Support Assistant, which comes with the laptop, had automatically upgraded the BIOS. I am able to open the BIOS. But the new BIOS version does not allow you to control the HP software and turn it off. Therefore, you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. With a recent second system crash, I was unable to recover the computer with the HP recovery disks and had to install Windows 7 from a dvd of my own. So you can't even count on recovery disks that you buy from HP.

After the fresh install, I once again had to download the Windows updates. Unfortunately, I chose to do this after I re-installed the HP drivers, and this made me realize that the Windows updates conflict with the HP drivers. The workaround was to individually install each Windows update, a cumbersome task. And, the BIOS error remains.

HP overloads their computers with faulty software and drivers. I never had these problems with other manufacturers. I will never buy an HP computer again. If I could give this laptop a rating of "zero", I would have.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Pavilion dv7t Quad Edition 17.3" Laptop - 2nd generation Intel

So far, so good, I am pleased with buying this through Amazon, and with the product. Very nice! From the moment I turned it on, it has ran great...did all expected....great screen...fast operation....all is great....

Cheap HP G6-1B60US Notebook PC (Charcoal Gray)

Customer Ratings:

Overall the HP G6-1b60us is a good balance of features, performance and price only the loud cooling fan keeps it from being great. The display is bright, the keyboard has a good feel and the large off-center touchpad makes a lot of sense for anyone that operates a mouse with their right hand. The mouse buttons below the touchpad are a bit stiff, but for light usage don't seem overly difficult. Performance is about what I expected from a budget laptop model with Windows 7 being ready for use in just under 20 seconds (prior to loading any of your own programs). The computer is very easy to setup out of the box with smart and simple setup menus to guide you through initial startup of the system, and fortunately HP has left a lot of 3rd party trial software off the system saving you time from having to remove software that just slows your system down from the start.

The one standout weakness of this computer is the constant, unwavering system cooling fan noise. If you are someone bothered by the constant "shhhh" noise of a small computer fan, this computer is NOT for you. In a quiet room the fan will be very noticeable particularly if the laptop is on a hard surface such as a table where the sound is reflected back at you. The one setting related to the system fan (the ability to disable the fan from a setting of "Always on" in the system BIOS) seems to have no effect on the speed or time of operation of the fan in this model. The fan is louder than every high-performance laptop computer I have used at work over 10 years, and is perhaps necessary for the AMD processor in this system, but it is the only disappointment in an otherwise solid entry level laptop. A summary of pros and cons as I see them from my use of system are below.

Pros:

* Good ergonomics Bright display, solid keyboard feel, well placed touchpad

* Very good sound The Altec Lansing speakers produce very clear sound and volume for an entry level system and are placed in a smarter location than many laptops that place them on top where they collect dirt and other debris

* Sturdy construction Large display hinges feel solid, the unit doesn't flex easily and materials used in construction appear of good quality

* Good performance The system is reasonably quick for any standard computing needs, and could be further improved with replacement of standard 5400 rpm hard drive

Cons:

* Loud system fan noise Constant, unchanging fan noise can be quite noticeable in quiet rooms or on hard surfaces

* Few hardware configuration options Related to the fan in particular, no ability via BIOS or Windows settings to manage cooling fan operation even by reducing CPU performance

* Poor access to memory/hard drive If you want to add memory or change to a faster hard drive or SSD in the future the access panel is snapped in by plastic tabs that are guaranteed to break off with more than one removal

Other information:

Windows Experience Index ratings for the system running Windows 7 Premium 64-bit as configured out of the box are: Processor: 5.4, Memory: 5.9, Graphics: 4.6, Gaming graphics: 6.2, Primary hard disk: 5.9

In conclusion I would recommend this laptop if the price is under $500, but only for someone not annoyed by the kind of steady noise a computer fan can produce.

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I believe this is a terrific value for someone who wants a laptop to do more than just web browsing, email,and word processing. It's fast enough and has adequate memory to work with video and music. We've been impressed with the keyboard, screen resolution, weight and "feel". The processor does its job effectively without any lag. For anyone who needs a good laptop and does not want to spend a lot of money this one is a great choice!

Best Deals for HP G6-1B60US Notebook PC (Charcoal Gray)

Awesome. Silent and smooth. Runs everything pretty fast. Perfect for casual gamming. Run most of the new games in medium settings. It's an excellent deal. You won't get anything better for this price.

Honest reviews on HP G6-1B60US Notebook PC (Charcoal Gray)

Got this laptop as my backup for when I DJ parties. My wife also uses it when I don't need it. Works & looks great. Light weight. Screen is bright. Just what I need for my basic needs. I couldnt resist the price $400 then signed up for their credit card and got $50 off of that. $350 for this laptop! Nice!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP G6-1B60US Notebook PC (Charcoal Gray)

My favourite definition of quality is "fitness for use", more importantly especially when buying a laptop, headache free use. Whilst this laptop may be many things: solid build, nice design, HP support assistant software two thumbs up and all. This laptop should also come with a note saying headache attached as the battery stated "77% available, plugged in not charging" within 48 hours of its receipt thereby turning my smile into a frown :(.

I did research some laptops before choosing this one so there are some good points about this laptop and they are as follows:

Price: Not bad, but not great, @ USD $449.99 it was sweet enough for me to say yes to, however I quickly turned sour when I saw that within 72hrs of my purchasing the item the price had dipped to $379.99 USD. I wanted to cry! That's what I would have called a great price. This however only lasted for approximately 48 hrs before skyrocketing up to $479.99 (Had even considered buying another one @ $379.99, but these hopes were quickly dashed, felt as if I was on the Fed with prices moving up and down so sudden!y)

With regards to overall build etc a previous reviewer "MTM" had a really good take on it so I'll just copy portions of his/ her review and add my own spin.

Pros:

* Good ergonomics Bright display, solid keyboard feel, well placed touchpad (I would like to emphasize the touchpad, its like a fine metal grating, so the traction is out of this world!! (No more slipping and sliding)

* Very good sound The Altec Lansing speakers produce very clear sound and volume for an entry level system and are placed in a smarter location than many laptops that place them on top where they collect dirt and other debris (Whilst this may be true in a "quiet environment" the speakers otherwise perform in a noisy environment,headphones will be required, but I will put a hold on blaming HP for this as I believe its a trade off due to the fact that the speakers are SRS. So for some people the sound may be a CON)

* Sturdy construction Large display hinges feel solid, the unit doesn't flex easily and materials used in construction appear of good quality (I'll definitely agree to this!!. Like a Rock! Ok well maybe I exaggerate but it does not flex like those of another very popular Manufacturer's, when picked up by an edge.)

* Good performance The system is reasonably quick for any standard computing needs, and could be further improved with replacement of standard 5400 rpm hard drive. (Emphasis on the word "reasonably" whilst surfing via firefox, admittedly I was seriously multi-tabbing and had an excel sheet open Total Ram usage was noted as having reached 3.53GB of a total 4GB, with CPU usage frequently reaching 100%....should I be frightened?? I believe the problem is the processor as it has a 1.9ghz base with a very dismal 1 MB level 2 cache, Phoeey!!!).

Cons:

* Loud system fan noise Constant, unchanging fan noise can be quite noticeable in quiet rooms or on hard surfaces (Only a problem if you suffer from some sort of neurosis, or are trying to sleep with it on in the room! Didn't mind it most times.)

* Few hardware configuration options Related to the fan in particular, no ability via BIOS or Windows settings to manage cooling fan operation even by reducing CPU performance (Not really that big of a deal except in the 2 instances noted above)

* Poor access to memory/hard drive If you want to add memory or change to a faster hard drive or SSD in the future the access panel is snapped in by plastic tabs that are guaranteed to break off with more than one removal (Not sure haven't checked)

ADDITIONALLY:

PROS

Try connecting the lappy to a big screen via the HDMI port and maybe just maybe you may forget that the machine came with a defective battery. AMD Radeon(tm) HD 6480G Discrete-Class Graphics with up to "2037MB total graphics memory". They didn't lie at all HDMI all the way, plug and play, don't buy another laptop without it!!!!!!!!!!

-The Cam and Mic are fairly ok, no complaints!

CONS

*The laptops display has limited viewing angles as the it was built with the intention of being a power saver, this is not really a biggy unless more than on person is trying to watch a movie at the same time.

*The laptop display itself may be suspect as I've noted lots of horizontal lines flickering across it from time to time (but truth be told I was doing a windows update of the video drivers at the time so may be the reason for the isplay being antsy) and I cringe every single time....who knows maybe apart from a defective battery I got a defective display as well? Raises eyebrow.

*With regards to the DVD-RW drive it works but not so well if you're reading a disc with lots of pics or one that's been burn't for e.g. say more than 2 yrs ago the ROM starts vibrating and spinning at incredibly fast speeds. you can literally hear the disk coming into contact with the walls of the compartment an of course the explorer window freezes.

You may ask why based on the above didn't I send back the laptop.

Response I live in the Caribbean and it cost an additional $41 USD to ship it to my country. So thinking about the $41 USD to return it to the states and the other $41 USD to get another laptop with possibly of a defective everything???

Better the devil you know than the one you do not!

I contacted HP customer support and they shipped me a new battery free of charge. Paid $9 USD to ship it out of the US. I was however able to return ship the defective battery to HP free of charge via Fedex! (Good going HP at least you got that right!!)

My opinion this would be a steal of a deal at under $400 USD....saw Anthony D paid $399.99. Lucky guy!

Whats missing:

-Bluetooth

A better processor probably one with a 3mb cache @ 2.3 ghz??

With the above this laptop could easily have sold for $480 or so.

Sony VAIO VGN-Z610Y/B 13.1-Inch Widescreen (Black) Review

Customer Ratings:

For the casual user who needs to browse the web, run basic multimedia, and edit documents, this is a very nice laptop. The fingerprint security system was easy to set up but can occasionally take many tries afterwards to recognize the main user. The screen is wide and offers excellent clarity.

There is no keypad section, which would be a big plus if you are someone who needs to enter numbers and calculations often.

It is weak on processing power and can take forever to boot up, a notoriety with Sony's Vaio bloatware. If you can manage to whittle down on the unnecessary software, this unit can run quite steadily.

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First let me say I have always been very pleased with Amazon.com. Several years back I had a bad experience with E-Bay and stayed away from internet purchases altogether. I eased back into internet purchases with Amazon and have been thoroughly pleased ever since. As a matter of fact, Amazon out did themselves this time. I placed my order for this laptop on Thursday May 28 with standard shipping through Advancity. It arrived the VERY NEXT DAY! I love Amazon!

Anyway, now that I got that out of the way, I am very happy with my purchase. After many days of research I decided what features were most important to me. 2.4 Ghz speed was sufficient. 4GB DDR3 SDRAM was hard to find in a laptop, but this one had it. 320 GB SATA hard drive (7200 RPM) was also hard to find but this one had it too. I also wanted Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bit. If I feel like it, I can always replace it with Windows Microsoft 7 when it becomes available. The 13 inch wide screen is just right. It's weight is only an incredible 3.2 pounds. Battery life seems to be O.K. although I frequently keep my laptop plugged in. It looks and feels great. I really don't have any major complaints. This Sony product is another in a long list of Sony products I own including a 40 inch Bravia LCD TV, digital camera and Bluray player. There are some complaints about the price of Sony products, but I think you pretty much get what you pay for.

When evaluating products for purchase, I feel it's really important to first decide which features are most important to you and are they practical. Price of course fits in there somewhere.

UPDATE: It's been over two weeks since my new Sony laptop arrived. I am still very pleased, especially since I paid Advancity $1,729.00 and today's price is $2.199.00 from Techno Intelligence. Over a $400.00 price increase. Maybe there's a lesson to be learned here. I usually like to see a lot of positive reviews to comfort me in my purchase. Maybe it's not always bad to be the first to buy and review.

UPDATE: Now the computer is no longer for sale. What does this all mean?

UPDATE: Now the computer is $1,999.00. It is a great computer. Pick your price.

UPDATE: March 25, 2009. My Sony Laptop is still going strong. I have no major complaints. The fingerprint identification works well except it takes some getting used to. You have to run your finger over the sensor precisely the same way each time in order to get it to recognize you. I bought a Windows 7 upgrade but haven't installed it yet. I've had absolutely no problems with Vista.

In case anyone is interested, I signed up with an internet company called IYOGI to solve and fix computer problems. On a few occasions where I got over my head they came to the rescue. They are in India (yes, I know) but they have never let me down. They've done an excellent job. On one occasion where they were stumped, they actually sent someone to my home to fix the problem. Incredible! Look into it. Oh yeh, a refurbished model is now $1850.00 Over $100.00 more than I paid new.

Buy Sony 15.5" Vaio VPCEB3TFX/T Intel Core i3 Laptop 4GB Notebook 500GB

Customer Ratings:

This is a great laptop for the price. It's fast, the picture is clear and I love the number key pad on the right side. My only complaint was the sound. There isn't much volume and the sound was weak and tinny. That was easily fixed with a $29.00 Gigaware speaker I bought at Radio Shack that sits on top of your open laptop. The sound is incredible for $30 and it plugs in with a USB cord. I would recommend this computer and this speaker.

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Beware! The Intel wireless display feature is not available although it is advertised as such for this model. I purchased the Netgear push2tv adapter and it was a waste. I called Sony Vaio support and they took a long time to tell me that this feature is not available on this model and the software cannot be installed as the hardware is not compatible. So do no waste your time if you are buying this computer for this feature. There are other ways to stream wirelessly to your TV, but Intel wireless display is not one of them for this computer.

Best ASUS Zenbook UX31E-DH52 13.3-Inch Thin and Light Ultrabook (Silver Deals

Customer Ratings:

I received the Zenbook a week ago and have the following to report, addressing most buyers concerns (including myself) when wanting to purchase the Zenbook:

I do hope you find it useful please vote this up if you did, to inform prospective buyers. Thanks!

Physical outlook:

The Zenbook largely resembles the MacBook Air in terms of svelteness. Even the tapering of the chasis 17mm-3mm is the same as the MacBook. This is a good thing because the Zenbook looks better than the MacBook air. The edges look more clean cut, more industrial looking. Definitely something for the corporate board.

Keyboard:

This is a hit and miss issue with many users. You either love it or hate it. I found the keyboard better than the MacBook because I could actually type faster on this laptop.

1. The keys have much lesser travel than the MacBook Air.

2. They are well spaced.

Some people were complaining about how unresponsive the keys would be. I had found that to be true when I first used the laptop, but adapted to the typing style, applying a little more pressure with each keystroke. Now I can type faster than I can with my iMac wireless keyboard!

It's just a matter of getting used to.

Poor Trackpad:

This is perhaps one of my most pertinent gripes about the Zenbook. The trackpad, like the keyboard is a matter of getting used to. Asus did a poor job in this aspect because they did not standardize the parts used in their Zenbook series. Some Zenbooks came with the Elan touchpad. Others came with the more inferior Sentallics branded touchpad. Both touchpads had different drivers and performance. The sentallics version performed poorly even with updated drivers and felt like using a year 20000-esque trackpad. There was very poor control over the trackpad, it seemed to have a mind of it's own especially when using multitouch gestures.

I managed to get the Elan trackpad, and my experience was not better off. When using two fingers on the trackpad in Opera (one finger on left click, the other to move the cursor around) the Zenbook did not recognize this even though my other finger was on the left click BUTTON. It kept recognizing this as a pinch and zoom, resizing the page I was browsing. This is irritating as I have to adapt to using the laptop with one finger. MacBook Airs don't even have a specific left click button and they don't accidentally recgnize my gestures as pinch to zoom. In this aspect, Asus has tragically failed in one of the key aspects of interaction with a laptop the touchpad.

Slow SSD:

As with the trackpad, the Zenbook shipped with two 128GB SSD variants, the slower Sandisk u100 and the faster, more superior ADATA SANDFORCE. I received the Sandisk variant and I'm seriously having buyers remorse on the purchase. Major reviewers (engadget, anandtech, pocketlint, ars technica) somehow received the superior ADATA variants as their test units, and based their judgement on the drive they received. Most buyers purchase because of the positive reviews made by them. Their reviews would have been much different with the SANDISK SSD.

What Asus did was misleading, and very inappropriate. Advertising the faster ADATA SSD's then shipping other units with the lousier Sandisk units.

The benchmarks I done using Crystal Disk Mark showed the vast difference in speeds. Below:

SANDISK

Size Read Write

4K 16.92 12.49

512K 253.2 21.81******

1GB 460.2 247.1

ADATA (Data from notebookcheck.net)

SIZE Read Write

4K 26.38 51.15

512K 374.7 131.7*****

1GB 429.6 132.8

As you can see, the speeds on the ADATA is easily 6 times faster on write speeds. The 1GB is similar but for day to day usage like surfing and microsoft office, the most commonly used size is below 512K. Thus, the ADATA offers a tremendous speed increase compared to the Sandisk.

As a consumer paying the same amount for a laptop, it is only fair that we receive what we expect. There should be no deviation from what Asus advertises and what we receive.

In this instance, getting a perfect Zenbook combination was like striking the lottery given the amount of permutations given. We only have a 1 in 4 chance of getting both the Elan touchpad and ADATA SSD.

Wireless Problem:

Many users were facing problems with their Wireless card receiving slow speeds. An updated driver would solve the problem. I did not experience the Wifi problem and the Zenbook worked fine out of the box.

I found that the weak wireless problem may be attributed to the Power Options settings. Goto power options -> change plan settings -> changed advanced power settings -> Wireless Adapter settings -> Power saving mode -> MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE.

Audio Hissing Sound:

Some users complained (in the UX21 reviews) that they heard very loud hissing sounds coming out of their earphone port with earphones. I did not hear it on my unit. Perhaps he received a lemon?

In conculsion:

Truth be said, I am not an Apple fan and was very happy to see such a good looking ultraportable that trumps the MacBook Air's air of sexiness. The zenbook is downright awesome to look at. The full aluminium chasis offers the kind of durability no other laptop can offer in it's class.

But with further comparison, the Apple ships with same compenents across the board. We appreciate this reliablility because we KNOW what components we are getting.

We aren't playing the lottery Asus, and this Zenbook certainly isn't my idea of a $1000 lottery ticket.

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

This is a great notebook with awsome battery life (5+ hours of standward def video with 20% battery left), good keyboard (not as good as Lenovo's), good trackpad (after driver upgrade), good scren and great look. I do wish that I can find a place to purchase another power supply as I usually have one charger at work and one at home. Although the power supply is thin and small, I would love to have 2, but I cannot find any retailer's online that sells the power supply for this notebook. I also wish there is some soft of port aggregator for this notebook. On the right side of the notebook, you have power, USB3, mini VGA and mini HDMI port. ASUS could easily make an psudo dock that plugs into all 4 port then you have in instant notebook dock. Coming from a T series Lenovo, I miss the docking feature and not having to plug 3 things in everything I goto my desk (power, USB 3, and mini HDMI).

Warning: DO NOT UNINSTALL Instant on, PowerWiz and Power4Gear. When I did so, my computer begin to blue screen. I believe it has to do with how the hardware operates in sleep mode and how Windows expect it to behave in sleep mode. Those 3 software bridge the gap between what Windows expect and how the hardware behaves. Without it, don't expect a stable notebook.

HINT: I've had some wireless stability problem earlier, but that was solved by disabling MIMO power save in the advance setting of the wireless adaptor by going to Network and Sharing Center, Change Adaptor setting, right click the adaptor, properties, configure, Advanced, and set Dynamic MIMO power save to disabled.

Best Deals for ASUS Zenbook UX31E-DH52 13.3-Inch Thin and Light Ultrabook (Silver

This is a brief video review of the Asus Zenbook UX31. I recommend this notebook for anyone looking for an ultra-portable and fast laptop that has a great design.

Honest reviews on ASUS Zenbook UX31E-DH52 13.3-Inch Thin and Light Ultrabook (Silver

To start with, I consider myself to be very tech-saavy and tech-educated. I don't discriminate on brand but rather on form and function. I've owned iPhones and Androids...I've used macbooks, laptops, and desktops and have built them (desktops) from scratch, etc. etc. When it comes to a machine like this, it is a whole different ballpark. At first, I was hesitant at purchasing the Zenbook. I wasn't sure if I wanted to purchase this or the Lenovo U300s or the Macbook Air (13 inch). I read reviews about how people hated the keyboard and the touchpad, how there were issues with the touchpad along with the wireless card and this scared me. Of course, the saying goes, an unhappy customer is louder than a happy one. Besides these issues, which I will address later, the specs on paper looked extremely good. The Zenbook is significantly faster than the Lenovo U300s and is neck in neck with the Macbook Air with a smaller price tag. The Macbook Air has better battery life but I think in this case, it is an operating system thing because if you bootcamp Windows 7 on a 13 inch Macbook Air, the battery life goes down to 4-5 hours compared to the Zenbook's 6-7 hr battery life (I haven't reversed it and installed Mac OS on the Zenbook so I can't give you details on that). So on paper, the Zenbook seemed to be the winner. As for looks, I personally prefer the Zenbook. I think it is one of the most beautiful laptop computers ever made. The Macbook Air looks bland next to the Zenbook and several of my coworkers fell in love with the design when they saw it and not knowing that it was mine, started talking about it behind my back. Looks and specs aside, user interactions are one of the most critical aspects of a good computer. I am currently typing this review on my Zenbook. Coming from Lenovo keyboards, my personal favorite the Logitech DiNovo Edge, and MacBook keyboards, there is a bit of stretch (maybe a couple days max) of getting comfortable with the keyboard but I wouldn't say it was a bad experience, it was a nice change and typing on the keyboard feels nice now. The trackpad, I have had no issues with. After reading the reviews stating that the trackpad was horrible and that it was okay after driver updates, I immediately updated drivers and the bios when I got the Zenbook and have no problems whatsoever.

Right now, if this were to be my review, this product would have 5 out of 5 stars however...this is actually my 2nd Zenbook. The first one I returned after noticing wifi problems. I uninstalled and updated drivers, I checked forums, I did tweaks but the wifi thing was killer for me. It would go from one bar to five even though I hadn't moved. Speed fluctuations all the time, I just couldn't take it and so I returned it and gave the Zenbook another chance. The one I have now has been smooth since day 1. No issues at all but because of inconsistency in production because I believe the wifi issue is a hardware issue and not a software issue that's a full star down.

Now for the more definite pros and cons list + comparisons.

PROS

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

1. Number 1 on the list has got the be the screen and the screen resolution. Macbook Air has a screen resolution of 1440 x 900. Lenovo U300s, 1366 x 768. The Zenbook trumps them all with a screen resolution of 1600 x 900. In my opinion, 1366 x 768 does not look good. Everything is huge and it's difficult to do work in. The Macbook Air has a slightly better resolution but the Zenbook really hits the spot. I can have two documents side by side or a browser on one side and my thesis work on the other...having a larger screen resolution, without breaking the bank, is crucial. Zenbook has got that hands down. As for the quality, it is a glossy screen and doesn't have as much pop in colors as the Macbook Air but it is still beautiful.

2. Speed. The solid state drive makes life so much faster! I've used solid state drives for years now and they make bootups and regular activity faster and snappier. The Zenbook boots up in about 25 seconds (that's loading up Windows and every random program that is in startup like the iTunes stuff, antivirus, etc.) It also wakes up from sleep in about 2 seconds, which makes resuming activity smooth and seamless. Also, gotta give credit to the Intel 2nd gen Sandy Bridge processor powering this thing. Works like a charm.

On a more technical note, the Zenbook comes equipped with a 128 GB ADATA Sandforce solid state drive. Read/write speeds are 550/500 MB/s. This is way faster than the solid state drive in the Macbook Air, which is a Toshiba SSD with read/write speeds of 200/190 MB/s (Mid 2011 Macbook Air).

3. Quiet

Best HP Pavilion 14-b010us 14-Inch Laptop Sleekbook (Black) Deals

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $589.99
Sale Price: $499.00
Today's Bonus: 15% Off

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Pros:

* Nice looking thin form factor

* CoolSense Technology is top notch, laptop just doesn't get HOT (warm but after long use)

* Good mix of ports (2xUSB 3.0 and single USB 2.0, HDMI output -> video AND sound to your TV)

* Very quiet

* External battery can easily be replaced by user

Cons(iderations):

* Synaptics PS/2 Port Touchpad is finicky under Windows 8

* No optical drive (but advertised as not having one just beware)

* battery life on short side ("up to 4 hours")

* Upgrading memory basically requires you to take entire laptop apart

HP has put out an entire, and sometimes confusing, range of what are called "Pavilion" or "Envy" laptops, usually coupled with the words "Sleekbook" or "Ultrabook." This specific model, the HP Pavilion 14-b101us Laptop Sleekbook, is advertised as, and is at the low end of the spectrum of this class of laptop. Windows 8 is optimized for touch screens (e.g., tablets) and is actually pretty nice. If you don't have a touchscreen, you can still benefit from Win 8's interface design if you have a good touchpad WHICH THIS UNIT DOES NOT HAVE!!! The built-in Synaptics PS/2 Port Touchpad is just bad. Even with tweaking settings, I couldn't get it to consistently operate with double taps, and two finger scrolling (which I love) is spotty and sometimes is interpreted as a "pinch" and changes the size of your screen. After a LOT of tweaking, updating drivers, etc., I've got the touchpad working better, but still not as consistent and smooth as I'd like.

I like this class of laptop as an entry level, non-gaming general purpose computer. The specs should indicate the obvious, that this isn't a powerful graphic gamer. So, given similar price points with other laptops of this class, I recommend you look for ones with the "HP Imagepad" such as the HP Envy 4-1110us 14-Inch Ultrabook or any other similar unit so long as it has "HP Imagepad" in its specifications. If it's got "Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad" I'd run for the hills. My Envy 4-1110us with the "HP Imagepad" is a lot of fun to use with Windows 8 and I'd actually recommend you check that unit out if the price is close to this one.

Again, this is a very nice intro level unit, and with an external mouse it works very nice. I suspect the hardware was originally designed with Windows 7 in mind, and Windows 8 (which I like) has been grafted onto a unit for which that may not have been an optimal decision.

Also note that to upgrade memory requires an almost complete dismantling of the entire unit. This is the second HP Sleekbook I've used where this is so (the other is the Envy 4-1110us mentioned above). This isn't one of those "open the memory access plate on the bottom" kind of laptops.

If this were a laptop running Windows 7, I'd probably give it 4 stars. The deal breaker for me really is the touchpad which you can't replace. If you get a good price and don't mind using an external mouse, this could still be a nice unit.

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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program It's light. It stays cool! It works faster than my Food Processor and it has Windows 8. I love this guy. I recently had another model in this line which I passed on to my granddaughter and thought I'd not find another one as good but I was wrong. This 14 inch has an I3 processor. Plenty of Ram and a large harddrive to store things. Windows 8 takes some getting used to but the startup and shutdown times will stun you on this new operating system.

I floundered around til my granddaughter took pity and showed me how to get to the desktop I was familiar with quickly and then I was unleashed. I'm actually getting used to the app start screen now and use it more and more, but that is turning this into a review of Windows 8 and this is about the laptop itself. This is also one of the few new models that has a removable battery so you can change them out if you're a constant user like me. A lot of the new ones are built in and when it's dead you gotta plug it in (make sure you check that). The touchpad is opened up a lot with this computer because of the Windows 8 and by that I mean it has a lot more functions than just point and tap. It's under four pounds with the battery in! The display is stunning for a 14 inch widescreen and the sound is very good for a laptop.

One of the best things about it that the HP maintenance software runs unobtrusively in the background and right off the bat my laptop had a problem with the fan suddenly spinning up quite audibly and locking the laptop up completely somehow until you had to reboot. This happened twice and I was about to throw the thing away when I did a third reboot and the laptop informed me that it was updating the bios and not to turn the power off. I was surprised at no popup informing me of the fact beforehand but I guess with the laptop frozen that would have been hard to do. At any rate the bios installed flawlessly and after the restart the laptop fan has never acted up again nor has the notebook frozen since. I can only surmise that HP was on top of the problem in hardware conflict or whatever it was and took steps to correct it immediately. Since we pay quite a bit for these toys I really appreciated that fact I can tell you.

The 4 gigs of ram and the 1.5ghtz processor make it sail along and the 500gb hard drive is more than adequate for my needs. The built in hi-def camera and software keeps you looking good in all kinds of light when skyping or whatever you do. The fact that it stays cool is really neat too and I can just lay it on my lap without any uncomfortable heat building up. All in all a great little machnine that does what it's supposed to. It does not come with a cd/dvd drive which seems to be the standard now. I guess everybody uses flash drives and external hard drives for storage of media etc now. It has an outlet for plugging it into your HD TV with hdmi outlet and you can watch videos (in true 1080p with surround sound (dolby dts etc) which surprised me again) and see pictures or listen to music etc. It holds it's charge for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours of constant use. It's also pretty tough and the hard drive has extra protection. I tend to drop them so that helps. With the windows 8 you have to add some software to do some things but that's easily done and available.

Overall I'd recommend it without hesitation. Especially after the hardware issue was self-resolved so quickly and efficiently!

Best Deals for HP Pavilion 14-b010us 14-Inch Laptop Sleekbook (Black)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program ...and that's about it.

One of the challenges of reviewing something like a computer is that the reviewer must consider it on the basis of what it's trying to be, not on the basis of everything a computer COULD be. This machine is not intended for gamers or musicians or video editors.

The Pavillion 14-b010us is everything a basic computer user needs and little beyond. By 'basic computer user', I mean someone who primarily needs an internet/email machine. A student will also fall under this definition, as this machine is ideal for throwing in a bag and taking to class for note-taking, etc. It's light, thin, and it stays cool even after prolonged use (one of HP's big selling points). In brief, this is highly portable no-frills computing.

What potential buyers need to know is that 'no-frills' MEANS 'no-frills.' There's no optical-media drive (CD, DVD, etc.), so any burning, movie-watching, or software installing will need to be done via an external drive. This is becoming less and less of a need for upwardly mobile computer users, but it's still a consideration that merits mention. Beyond that, performance is what you'd expect from an entry-level laptop: the picture is fine, but it's not exceptional; same with the webcam. The audio output is particularly forgettable, but that's to be expected from a machine at this price-point.

Performance is adequate. I have a battery of tests I run to gauge the performance of machines, and this one did about what I expected. Photoshop works fine, if a little slowly; video-editing is basically a no-go unless the user uses SD footage in an entry-level program like Movie Maker. Don't bother trying to run games newer than four or five years. If you stick to tasks in the realm of basic computing, you'll be fine.

Win8 is an adjustment, and although this is not a review of that operating system, the potential buyer just needs to know that there's a bit of a learning curve for the average migrant from Win7/Vista/XP. This OS really does seem to thrive with a touchscreen, and the Pavilion 14-b010us doesn't have one of course, so there were a few times when I caught myself trying to navigate by touch.

In summary, then, this is a fine, solid, unspectacular machine for everyday computing; it has a nice aesthetic and is highly portable. For the current price (a little over $400 as I type), it's a good buy.

Honest reviews on HP Pavilion 14-b010us 14-Inch Laptop Sleekbook (Black)

Very good laptop from HP...Light weight,Compact,Nice sound,good speed...They could have included a CD/DVD drive...But Overall satisfied with the purchase...Thanks amazon,HP..

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for HP Pavilion 14-b010us 14-Inch Laptop Sleekbook (Black)

First of all let me start off that this is a budget laptop, but it's still freakin' awesome. At first I felt overwhelmed with the start page, making the jump from my Compaq Windows Xp to Windows 8 was quite an experience. But right off the get go I fooled around with the apps, got my e-mail set up, messenger, and my desktop just the way I want it and BAM! This laptop became my home.

I use this everywhere! At the diner, at work, home by my bed, and even in the toilet watching my anime.

If I let it load it can stream the 1080 HD! Clear and smooth...

Look, I bought this laptop for five reasons;

1-To watch Netflix.(OH! the app is already pre-loaded!)

2-To watch Hulu.

3-To watch Crunchyroll.

4To read the news, (FANTASTIC APP FOR THAT TOO!)

5And to participate in a variety of social medias.

For all this reasons, it's mega-awesome.

Now, the things I don't like.

Microsoft Word is crap.

Paint is crap.

In fact, many basic windows tools that are free in XP are either crap, or you have to pay for them. Yes you heard me, they have found a way to monetize simple basic tools that were awesome and free in XP. Thank god for Google, the internet, and fellow nerds who devote their time posting freeware. I love you Google.

Besides the greedy HP jerks trying to monetize EVERYTHING, this laptop, is awesome.

That is all.

_Samuel. :]

Discount Acer Aspire V5-571-6806 15.6" LAPTOP(Core i5-3317U,6GB RAM,750GB

Customer Ratings:

I have found this computer to be excellent. However, when I purchased it despite the horror stories about windows 8. The system is slow, cumbersome and skips from one window to the other. I have contacted Microsoft and Acer. Neither of them wants to help me go back to windows 7 which was an excellent operating system. The problem is that I am 74 and the $114 to purchase windows 7 is costly. My recommendation is to stat with Windows7.

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Haven't test it completely but so far, and for basic jobs..it's awesome!! Perfect if you don't have a high budget and you're a looking for a mid-basic laptop.

What I now can write as pros are:

Lightweight and thin

Awesome sound

Average webcam resolution....like 1.3 mpx if I'm not wrong but it works.

Soft keyboard

Turbo boost it's amazing! you'll have your laptop up in less than 4 secs. Even when having many apps open for more than a week and using it everyday.

Great processor so far. While having many normal apps working at the same time, the system haven't crashed.

Screen resolution amazing.

What's not so good by now:

No key Locks light, you have to depend on software warnings when caps are on/off. But this only affects when u're entering a password.

Mousepad. Even I think this is a common issue, it does get touched when you're writing and more if you're concentrated. But you can always deactivate it (fn+7).

All usb ports are on the left side. So, beware if you're planning to buy or if you have a short wired mouse. Everything goes to the left.

This is not a cons for me but if you do a lot of presentations using a projector by vga, be sure to take the adapter with you all the time (cable with vga and rj-45 ports is included).

When closing the lid and not turning off the laptop, you have to deactivate the mouse pad; if not, it drives crazy and starts opening apps and clicking anywhere it can. (UPDATED 21/08/2013).

Read on many reviews that this laptop has issues with it's wifi card, which I haven't had yet.

For the ones that are afraid or had trouble with windows 8.. easy, downgrade to windows 7 or use any linux distribution, so you won't get lost.

If you need more specs (not to many here), go to: http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/model-datasheet/NX.M1JAA.011

Will update (hope I don't forget), when I test this laptop better.

Best Deals for Acer Aspire V5-571-6806 15.6" LAPTOP(Core i5-3317U,6GB RAM,750GB

Great laptop at the price. User friendly, thin & light but capable. Zero issues so far. Still learning Windows 8 but desktop mode lets me use old methods in meantime.

Honest reviews on Acer Aspire V5-571-6806 15.6" LAPTOP(Core i5-3317U,6GB RAM,750GB

keyboard is not responsive sometimes and its hard for me to teach my dad how to use a computer when the keys barely work

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Acer Aspire V5-571-6806 15.6" LAPTOP(Core i5-3317U,6GB RAM,750GB

I run a virtual table top role playing game programmed in Java, and my old machine wasn't cutting it since I have to host players. I've used acer in the past and decided to pick this one up.

I do some very basic graphic work on maps for the game and it handles GIMP very well. Over all it's a powerful machine and it does the job I need it to do, it doesn't come with Office but I'm a Google drive guy so that didn't matter too much. It's got a pretty decent screen, which is nice for movies and videos via the web. The Win 8 interface is a bit clunky without the touch screen, so I would recommend if it's in your budget get the touch screen version, or a second monitor if you are going to be in a semi-fixed location for a while.

I rarely use if off power so I really can't speak about the battery life.

The two issues I have are minor and are likely me just nitpicking, the first is that the power jack is on the left hand side of the unit and I always end up with the cord over my lap or under my feet, it just feels like it should be on the right side and it's also a little tough to get the power adapter into the machine. The second is screen is a bit thin when compared to some other laptops so just be careful about how you hold it.

Overall it's a nice mid-level machine.

Reviews of Sony VAIO VGN-NW350F/S 15.5" 4GB 320GB Laptop Silver

Customer Ratings:

I picked this laptop up last night. It was the only high end brand I could find with HDMI and blu-ray under $800 that had good processing ability along with other specific features I wanted... and I looked... and looked... and looked... The white keys and bright display are helpful if you occasionally use your laptop in the dark (though having a back lit keyboard would have been a nice bonus). Compared to all prior, dark cased laptops, I can finally see the keys clearly. Ive had a Vaio in the past and it's build quality was excellent. I once again can say that it feels like a solid laptop and I am going to be quite happy with it. This laptop's design is straight forward and relies highly on the function keys. Advanced users might appreciate the simplicity and straight forwardness of this laptop more than the average or novice who may need things more specifically laid out (or if you are a big fan of buttons).

It features a boot to internet button to quickly bypass its already speedy Windows 7 boot process.

Blu-Ray looks great. The only disappointment ive had with it is the speakers, but I havent had enough opportunity to truly judge them yet. I put in a blu-ray movie last night and it was so quiet at full volume I had trouble hearing it. Granted, normal Windows volume had a decent projection so I probably just need to check a few things out that I havent gotten around to yet.

The HDMI port along with the Blu-Ray allows me to connect it to my TV and gives me the option of removing the entertainment desktop I have next to my tv.

Would I buy it again? Definitely.

Side note: I love Amazon, but I found it for $730 in store. Sorry Amazon but you were a little too expensive this time around!

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I bought this to replace a SonyFE model. I was pretty happy with the FE but wanted to upgrade to a new computer because I need better specs. Overall I am pleased with the NW model. I love the texture of the case and the silver color. Windows 7 is easy to navigate through once you get used to the change from XP. It is much faster that my older sony. The reason I did not give it 5 stars is because I prefer the old screen. It is much crisper and easier on the eyes. The Sony NW screen doesn't seem as bright or maybe the contrast is off and almost looks faded compared to the FE model. I read somewhere that is is due to the technology differences behind the screens. We also recently purchased and HP610 and prefer the screen over the Sony. Side by side the HP Screen is much better. The speakers on both are not that great and it is difficult to listen to webinars. Thank goodness for earphones.

Best Deals for Sony VAIO VGN-NW350F/S 15.5" 4GB 320GB Laptop Silver

This is a great computer. No, the screen isn't the greatest, but I got it in store for under $700. Also, it's LOADED with Sony software, which occasionally takes up all the RAM, slowing it down. Other than that, I love it. HDMI output is great. The keys on the keyboard are spaced perfectly for my big hands. My girlfriend told me that she finds the touch pad hard to use, but I like it. I would absolutely recommend this computer to a friend.

Honest reviews on Sony VAIO VGN-NW350F/S 15.5" 4GB 320GB Laptop Silver

I bought this laptop about 6 months ago, and am so glad that I did! I was hoping to spend $500-600, as I figured these days you can get somewhat of a decent comp for that price. I was looking at a Gateway with a 17" screen, which I thought would be nice for my art and photography... But THEN I took a walk on the wild side to the nicer lineup of comp's and saw this Sony. It is quiet (you dont even hear the fan running), fast, doesnt get hot, easy to type, amazing HD qualities, awesome windows 7, web startup with a press of a button, etc... I was very worried about spending $750 or so, when buying a MAC is only a few hundred dollars more. (I'm a MAC lover!)... But really, this is a great computer with everything that I need (and some). Dont settle for a crappy machine when for a little more you can have this reliable smooth Sony. Best Buy has an 18 month no-interest deal on their credit card, which I did. You wont be dissapointed...

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Sony VAIO VGN-NW350F/S 15.5" 4GB 320GB Laptop Silver

Sorry......but.. the one I bought in 2010, I paid (with taxes,shipping,) about $800.00 ON SALE..

I think it was...Best Buy on line..anyhow, Had it a year, it was a manufacture's defect in the SD card USB area. That fried my C driver...(extended warrantee was outrageous)so had that fixed.. I suppose the kid put a trial Windows on it.. well, shortly after that expired...the C driver that I put about $150.00 into...FRIED AGAIN..so.. I am now having to EAT almost a thousand dollars and hope to sell it on EBay for parts.. I'm lucky to get $150 dollars for it so I can clear at least $100.00 and the shipping and handling costs.. I'LL NEVER EVER BUY ANYTHING COMPUTER WITH SONY ON IT.. Sony has great camera's and music equipment..but...STAY AWAY FROM ANYTHING computerized with Sony...

Review of Dell Inspiron 14" Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 2450M Processor, 6

Customer Ratings:

I read 3 or 4 computer websites about the Dell Inspiron 14z before purchasing on Amazon, and my experience is in line with those reviews. (I ordered the model with i5 processor/6 GB of RAM). My family has several other Dell Inspiron 14-inch laptops; this is our first 14z. (And Dell, if you're reading this, I really wanted to buy another 14R, but the switchable lids make it feel cheap. It's a computer, not a toy). Anyway, back my review:

Good:

Lightweight and thin, yet sturdy

Very good processor speed (probably worth getting the i5)

Accessible keyboard

Three USB ports

Bright, clear screen

1 year of McAfee

Windows 7

Could be better:

Port covers are not necessary and get in the way

The mouse buttons take a lot of effort to "click" (and as such, I would not recommend this computer for a small child)

Does not have the Power DVD software common to previous Dell laptops I've purchased

And, unfortunately, includes a lot of software you probably won't want. The first 30 minutes of using this computer was a struggle among all the various "helpful" programs all simultaneously expecting to be registered, activated and/or updated. A "Nero" program was particularly annoying and could not be turned off, only minimized; I wound up uninstalling it altogether.

Surface areas easily show fingerprints

I would have liked to add the optional backlit keyboard, but it is only available on the top-of-the-line 14z model for $200 more

All in all, a good value, and I estimate I saved $60 buying from Amazon rather than direct from Dell.

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Short story: Stay way. I have had multiple problems with this laptop and Dell support can not fix said problems.

I needed a laptop for school that could handle CAD programs, handle computational programs, have a good battery, and be portable. At the time my Toshiba Satellite had lasted me a good 4 years but the hard drive was becoming spotty and the battery life was decreasing. I decided to upgrade and after a little looking around I decided on the Dell Inspiron 14z. It looked good for a decent price. I quickly received the laptop from Amazon and the Dell was considerably faster than my previous Toshiba, a lot lighter, and the battery life was almost double. After a month of owning it I discovered that the microphone did not work with Skype or Google Chat. I guessed this problem was around since I bought the laptop. I was still in school at the time so I waited until summer to get it fixed. In July I contacted customer support via online chat help. After over an hour of diagnosis it was determined that my laptop motherboard was defective and I needed to send it in. This is what I had been afraid of, but since it was summer I could be without the laptop for a couple weeks to get it fixed.

Dell sent the package very quickly and then called me every step to let me know what was happening. A little too much in my opinion but it was good to know it would be done quickly. I then received the laptop back from Dell. I turned it on and first tested the microphone and it worked, problem solved. Not too fast, I was reloading my files that I had backed up and noticed that on 'Computer' window that my laptop said it only had 4GB of RAM. As in the description it came with 6GB of RAM when it was new. I opened up the back panel and saw that there was a 4GB RAM stick in the slot. I then popped out the keyboard to check the other slot and found out there was no RAM in RAM slot. I was hoping that it was something I could fix, but I was not so lucky. I called Dell again and told them my problem, it was pretty obvious and customer support said they would send the 2GB RAM stick.

I received the RAM within the next week, opened the keyboard again and put in the recently sent RAM. I then go to turn on the computer and it starts beeping at me (repetitive 3 beeps). I took out both RAM units and tried the new RAM unit in the slop on the back of the laptop, everything worked and computer booted up. Then tried the 4GB RAM in the keyboard slot, didn't workbeeps again. Time to call Dell again. I told them my problem and after a lengthy conversation they said they would fix the problem after I would send it in. Frustrated that they didn't fix it and annoyed that I wouldn't be able to use it for a more time, my only option was to send it in. I sent it in late-August. While the laptop was out for repairs I see a deal at Dell online that with a promo code the 14z laptop costs $500 with a $75 gift card to Dell. Which BEFORE the gift card, is $80 less than I had paid in April. And I had only used it for half of the available time due to issues.

Dell replaced the motherboard again and after a hold for parts I received it back mid-September. Finally, and just before school starts again my laptop is here and ready to go. Within 12 hours I discover yet another problem. The sound is not working either from speaker or headphone jack. I called them again. After running a couple of tests they confirmed that the speakers did not work. They wanted me to send in the laptop again. I really didn't want to, school was starting and it seems this fixing process has not worked before. I let the technician and his manager know my disgust asked for a new laptop because fixing it did not work the past 2 times. After a while of back and forth they couldn't do that. I then asked for the difference in cost since I was not able to use it for the entire summer. But it ended in that they can't and all they can do is service it in warranty. This fix will have the 4th motherboard installed for this laptop, not so random. It is so frustrating. Dell is completely wasting my time and can not fix a problem. I also asked them how they can be sure it is fixed completely but all I got was the same-as-always `we will run tests'-which have not worked in the past. What if the problem is not fixed? I will just be going through this song and dance again.

I would stay as far away from Dell as you can. This is an unacceptable product and service. I know problems occur but at such a large company, they should have ways to check that products are fixed correctly. I have been with out a laptop for 3 months at the moment and it's just going to get longer. School is starting and I will be without my laptop. A complete waste of time and money.

Best Deals for Dell Inspiron 14" Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 2450M Processor, 6

I bought this laptop for my wife to use for her daily use such as email and watching videos. Let's just say that for the price, it can't be beat. It comes with Windows 7 Home, a Core i5-2450M and 6 GB of RAM. I felt that it was just the right size at 14" ... not too big and not too small. It also still has a DVD/CD drive.

When I was researching laptops, I was on the fence of getting a laptop with an i3 processor or an i5 processor. I had to pay a little more, but I felt that it would still be a pretty decent laptop a few years for now.

The i3 processor is only a dual core, while the i5 is a quad core. Also it comes with 6 GB of RAM -most laptops only come with 4 GB in this price range. I haven't tried it for gaming yet, but when I get a chance, I'll try installing Diablo 3 and revise my review. I have no doubt that this laptop should be able to handle it. Maybe not at the best settings, but good enough to play without any issues.

Initial setup was like any laptop. A few registration prompts, but nothing major. If you've owned a laptop before, setting this up should be simple enough.

Somethings that I found annoying is the default Dell application that handles your media and movies. I had to manually set it so that it doesn't open up. I'll try to post pics later. Also I hate the fact that it has covers on the USB ports because it doesn't really open up all the way and it ruins the convenience factor.

Overall I feel that this is a little power house with great features that should last for awhile before I think about upgrading.

5/28/12 UPDATE

I installed Diablo 3 and it runs fine with the default settings minus the anti aliasing. It did have that display driver out of date message after I installed it, but ran it with the default hardware and it's ok. No problems. CPU usage around 10% and physical memory about 36% if that helps out.

I just noticed that the battery angles the laptop a little more than usual so it allows better airflow and keeps it cooler on the table. This really helps out because I noticed the fan blowing harder when playing Diablo 3.

Honest reviews on Dell Inspiron 14" Laptop (2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 2450M Processor, 6

This is the worst computer I have ever used. The hard drive failed within the first month, and I had to get it replaced. The track pad is of horrific quality, and the computer struggles with basics like connecting to the internet. The absolute worst computer I have EVER used. Don't know how Dell gets away selling these things. Will NEVER buy a Dell again. Avoid at ALL costs. 500 dollars down the drain.

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My previous laptop Dell Inspiron 1525 was 4.5 yrs old so it was time for a new puter. I know that there are a lot of Dell haters out there but I had a better experience with Dell than I had with Apple, Sony (piece of junk, HATE!) and Toshiba so I wanted another Dell.

Well, it's been 4 yrs since I last bought a computer so there are changes. I dont like this Nero software that comes with the puter but you can always uninstall. My biggest complaint is that the same as previous reviewers: mainly that the touchpad buttons are really stiff and unresponsive. So much so that I would have gone with a different model if i had tried it at a store. Definitely doesnt feel like my previous Dell laptop.

I use my laptop everyday for surfing, youtubing, ebaying, and photoshopping. I knew that the specs were more than enough for my needs since my previous Dell with Duo Core processor, 3GB handled my needs just fine. So, I dont really see a difference in speed considering what I am doing with it. Sleeping and waking are normal.

The colour Expresso Black should just be called Expresso. It's definitely not black; it's ebony with a hint of red in it.

Cheap HP 4440s 14" Laptop (2.4 GHz Core i3-2370M Processor, 4GB RAM

Customer Ratings:

This was a Christmas gift to my younger son, in preparation for college. Judging by the amount of time he spends using it, I would say it is a great hit. He never goes anywhere without it.

Yep, a great product.

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Cheap Gateway NV55S13u 15.6-Inch Laptop (Ebony Black)

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The huge amount of memory, the quad-core processing, and the separate video card all do their jobs really really well. For example, it runs Skyrim on video quality High, and it runs beautifully.

The negative for me is the monitor the resolution, despite the monitor seeming huge, can only get to 1366x768. Video (like the sample Blu-Ray disc of trailers they include), and the aforementioned gaming, looks great on it, but I just wish my day-to-day activities on the desktop could be displayed at a higher resolution. Not a super big deal but it may be to you. It seems like the even the most basic of windows takes up such a huge amount of space.

The factory speaker on the laptop is really weak. You'll want some external computer speakers as well to hook into your headphone jack for anything louder than the most cursory of windows alert noises. However, there is a volume control on the keyboard.

In fact, the entire keyboard is set up in what I'll call an expanded-Mac style. The keys are definitely mac-style (though not back-lit) in their flatness and shape and the functionality of the keyboard is really high. You can adjust monitor brightness, audio volume, aspect ratio, projector mode, turn off the touch pad in case you're spending a lot of time typing or have an external usb mouse to plug in, as well as a host of other functions, all from the keyboard. It takes a bit to get used to the "smoothness" of the keyboard, but the keys are really not too small and the number pad is WONDERFUL to have on a laptop. The real estate, always limited on a laptop, seems to be very well utilized.

I don't need the Blu-Ray player (at this point) but it is quite nice that it's included, and can still do DVD-RW. Very intelligent to include that.

Oh and it's pretty great that it includes an HDMI port, though I can't attest to needing that just yet, though when I will I'm sure it will be very handy.

For security, I'm using Windows Security Essentials at and it is extremely non-invasive, free, and works wonderfully. Not relevant to the laptop but highly recommended from this user.

All in all, a great computer that has been very easy for a Windows XP user to learn how to use effectively.

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This laptop was purchased for a teenager and really fit the bill nicely. The inclusion of a Blu-ray disc player as well as capable graphics and a good quad-core CPU make this laptop an ideal machine for entertainment, productivity, and educational use. This laptop was everything I expected.

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This computer is a fast one, and takes care of all of my needs. The display is large, and it plays Blu-rays! What more do you need!?

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So this Laptop (nv55s13u) is actually a re branded Acer. all warranty's are handled by Acer and not gateway which is actually a negative because if you have heard anything about Acer its that their customer service sucks. I mainly bought this because it listed the hd 6620 as dedicated but this is actually the integrated video graphics. so if your expecting switchable graphics like I was then look elsewhere.

Pros:

Blu-ray

A8-3500m is a great processor

Hd6620g is a decent "integrated" video (can play skyrim on high)

does not get hot very easily which is nice

battery life is about 3-4hrs normal use with the brightness turned all the way down. I can get about 6 hours if i underclock the processor. message me if you need help with this.

boot up is fast for a 5400rpm HDD

Nice screen

Cons:

You will have to deal with Acer if you have any problems

No dedicated video like the description says

Bloatware out the ass on this thing. took a while to get it all off.

Single bar track pad keys are horrible and annoying (i keep my hand centered so you have to press very hard the closer you get to the middle) i prefer one key for right and one for left)

HDD is only 5400rpm but this is interchangeable.

webcam sucks

sound is not loud at all and for the size of the speaker bar this is disappointing

No USB 3.0 ( i really wish this had at least one)

No Bluetooth

its a little heavy for being a somewhat low featured laptop.

thats all i have for now but ill update if anything else comes up

thanks for reading

MC

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I think this was a great buy for the price. Only had it 3 weeks but so far it is great. It's a very fast computer and it is perfect for all my needs. The only thing I don't like are the keyboard buttons. I am a fast typer (140 wpm). The buttons are too big and soft and I prefer the other "thicker" buttons so I can really feel the letters as I type. Also the mouse pad is too close to the space bar which gets in the way sometimes when typing. If it weren't for the keyboard design I would give this 5 stars.

Discount The Chrome Book Paperback

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Google is on to something here, but without a little luck, I would not have known about it. I now own 2 chrome books (one for my wife and one for me) and find the experience delightful. In trying to learn and become more productive with it, I have searched the web for how-to articles, etc. Quite by accident, I came across "The Chrome Book." It is well written, very informative, and a real good overview of the "operating system." It also treats some of the higher level uses.This was my best find yet, and one that I am buying as a reference book. I just hope Google keeps going with this concept with enhancements, improvements, and more advertising. Again, well written book and on target!

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This is a great intro. to the subject of Chromebooks!

It's helping me decide if I want to take the plunge(I probably will).

Update(7/16/12): I took the plunge! I like my Samsung Chromebook(see my review) & this book was a big help to me!

After a month of owning my Chromebook, I still refer back to this book.

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not just a how to book but more about: 1. where Google Chromebook fits into the computing universe and 2. strategies for using it productively.

author is very knowledgeable and writes clearly and well. Wish he was my tutor.

Honest reviews on The Chrome Book Paperback

I have experience with almost every OS out there. I purchased Andriod and iPad, looking for the perfect flexible, easy to use PC replacement. No luck. Even a Bluetooth keyboard its not enough to replace the PC as a heavy typing/real work tool.

So I purchased a Samsung 5 550. I already used Google Apps extensively, and this was a natural extension.

CH Rome's book gave me a fantastic look into the concepts and methods of using ChromeOS, as well as a detailed step-by-step method for using it. It actually changed how I use computers. My 'My Documents" folder is now my Google Drive folder and I have file access from my PC, Chromebook, iPhone, iPad, and any PC I log into.

I use the Chromebook as the heavy typing tool now, as its so fast and easy to start and stop, and stay where I was. I use a wireless mouse with it, and it feels so comfortable! I could not have known all these capabilities were there without the book. I can honestly say that less than $6 and a few hours of reading changed a huge aspect of my life. Not many books can boast that claim.

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I had just purchased a Samsung Chorme Book and need some idea just how it worked with the web. The Chrome Book was just the right thing at the right time.